Bronze Colored Heart
by Nora Mutao Frost
Summary: A castaway ended up on Lighthouse Island. Echo keeps her company till help arrives. In the mean time Echo needs to teach Kate that theirs finer things in life then just books, and its okay to have fun.
1. Chapter 1

_**Authors Notes: I'll be blowing through these chapters pretty fast. The more reviews I get the faster I'll go. I love encouragement.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 1**_

 _ **The Storm**_

All she was really good for was research and languages. Or at least thats what her father used to tell her. Kate had her nose in a book 90% of her life, and most of which was about far off places she herself never knew existed. Her life was planned out by the time she was ten. She wanted to work in a museum. Their was so much to learn there, and even when you did learn something over time it could change. She loved that about history.

She was alone now, and still very young. She had completed college and was hoping to get to a dig sight so she can start cataloging their works there. She hopping on the first available ship to the tiny island and she was on her way to her very first job.

She sat on a box which was covered in mesh to keep it on the ship if the waves got to rough. Within her hand was a green clad book marked Realm 3. A novel put out by an archaeologist who had apparently been there. She was beginning to wonder if he had or was just dreaming it. A lot of it was quite obserd. Lion people and all that. Really...

Apart from being a skeptic she believed anything could be proven as long as you can get proof. She believed in other worlds, but she would rather see it for herself. Also she wanted to believe in ghosts but she was much to scared to find out herself. She was brave to a fault...that fault being her feet. Sometimes they acted on their own. She might be to scared, but she was naturally curious and her legs would walk on without her brain saying so.

The wind whipped her bright red hair into her bright green eyes for the billionth time, and she hated to put her hair up in a ponytail. But it seemed like she would have to. She pulled the ribbon from her pocket and pulled her hair back.

"Storm off the stern sir!" Yelled the man in the crows nest. She often wondered what it was like up there all alone. Probably far more peaceful then sitting on a box right outside the galley.

Kate looked up at the side of the ship. Their were some nasty looking clouds heading their way. She wondered if they would have to turn around. The captain looked over his tea cup and shrugged his shoulders.

"Onward men. Its but a small one."

Oh how wrong he was.

Kate was just inside her stateroom holding her stomach. She hated ships...why did she want to go on a ship in the first place? Of course it saved her money, but why a ship? She could have asked to go on a plane or something right? She sighed laying back on her bed.

She heard someone yelling about a man overboard twice now. Another man yelled something about life jackets. She heard a knock on the door and she wobbled her way to the door. She held onto the door for support as she looked at the young man wearing white and blue.

"Life jackets ma'me." He said holding it out to her. She nodded her head and let him put it on over her head and tied them off. Kate smiled at the young man who had to be about twelve years old or maybe even a little younger.

"Be careful." Kate told the boy who smiled and nodded before running off to the next stateroom. Kate looked up the stairs to the outer area. She could see the rain poring, she wanted to see...for research...yeah...research. She peeked out the door and saw the men running back and forth outside, some having lines around their waste, others had life jackets. All of which was soaked to the bone. The waves were massive and very scary to look at. She wasn't to sure how the ship was keeping it together. Then again it probably weathered a lot of storms before. The captain didn't seem to scared, right? She sighed having given herself a pep talk and was about to go back to her room and dry her feet off since she wasn't wearing any shoes, or socks for that matter. Thats when the whole ship paused and looked up. Directly in front of them was a huge creature with many arms. Its horrid calls could be heard as it pulled its many arms around the ship. Kate could hear the ship splintering.

"Abandon ship!" The captain yelled. Kate was scared to death, she couldn't move, she couldn't breath, all she could do is stare at those three eyes. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt someone pick her up bodily and threw her into the water.

She felt herself being tossed this way and that. She couldn't see a thing in the dark. She eventually pulled her head above water gasping for air before the waves crashed on top of her again tumbling her down all over again. She wasn't to sure how many times this happened. Seven or eight times before she lost consciousness.

Kate opened her eyes and just wanted to close them again, her eyes still stung from the salt water, She coughed a little expelling anymore salt water that had made it into her lung.s. She wasn't sure how she survived at all, or how she ended up on shore. She rolled over and looked up at the still cloudy sky. She sighed and closed her eyes again. She wasn't sure if she had fell asleep again or not, but when she woke up again the sky had cleared. So she assumed so. She rolled onto her side and tried to get up.

She was sore all over, and she had sand all over her. Her cloths were still soaked, and the rocks hurt her feet. She looked up to see what appeared to be an old abandoned lighthouse. At least she would have shelter until someone found her. Perhaps someone lived their that had a phone. That would be perfect.

She walked up the many steps, she realized her ankle hurt her a bit. When she looked down it was a mess of purple, and blue.

"Hello!" She called out knocking on the door. The door fell inward. She gasped taking a step back and winched having fell back on that hurt ankle. She slowly walked in looking this way and that.

"Hello!" She called again. "I'm sorry about the door, but my ship wrecked and I washed up on shore. Don't suppose you'll let me use your phone?" She said. The room was dusty and in disrepair. The stairs looked sturdy enough to walk up them at least. She started up the stairs.

Each landing had a room of its own. One of them was a bathroom, and the next one was a bedroom, and the next one a workshop, and the next one she supposed was the top floor. For a light house their wasn't much to it. She figured it would have so much more then just four small floors. Yet she couldn't find anyone. She leaned back trying to take her weight off her ankle and accidentally pushed a button. Helper popped out of the cupboard and looked at her holding a cup in his hand. He set it down on the table and looked back up at her. Kate wasn't to sure about what that was. Perhaps the last owner of the house was an inventor? It beeped at her and motioned for the tea pot. Kate took hold of the tea pot and held it out to him. It was then that she realized that their was fresh tea. She gasped looking around the room again.

"Is there someone there!" She called out and looked up. Their above her scared her and fascinated her all at the same time. A bronzed robot with one golden eye one bronze eye starring down at her. Her heart skipped a beat and her eyes rolled. She fell back onto the floor in a dead faint.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Authors Notes: Thanks so much for the reviews. Answer for Shayna. This is actually after Echo met Jay and Nya. How else would we know to call him Echo? Before that he was just known as Zane. Right? If I've got this wrong please tell me. I'd like to be as accurate as possible.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 2**_

 ** _Anatomy_**

Echo watched as the girl hit the floor. He didn't expect that, not once has anyone fainted in front of him. But then again he hadn't met anyone else on the island except his father. He looked at the girl for a few moments wondering if she had just fell. She didn't move and helper bot just wheeled over to her and poked her with his hand. He chirped and looked up at Echo. Echo took this a 'the coast is clear' and climbed down.

He stood over her for a few seconds listening for her to breath. He wasn't to sure about human anatomy but he was sure they needed air to breath even if asleep...right? He reached down and touched her and pulled back. Yep she was real. Helper gave him a pleaful sound.

"I'm not sure if I should move her." He told the little bot. "She looks injured. I don't want to hurt her anymore." He said and stood up walking over to a cupboard and pulled out an old sheet.

"Do you think this would help for bandaging?" He asked the helper bot who gave a satisfied whistle. Echo began to cut the sheet into small strips.

Kate felt something slightly heavy on her ankle for a few moments. She gasped and sat up when it began to hurt. She looked into the frightened eyes of that very same robotic form that scared her earlier. Kate looked down at her foot which was in the robots hands and in the others looked to be a poorly cut up sheet. He was winding it tightly around her ankle with a few piece of flat board on each side. She guessed she might have sprained it. But she wasn't sure if she might have broken it.

Echo looked at the girl, her eyes were a pretty green color, although he imagined her with red eyes like her hair.

"I'm bandaging your injuries, please stay still." He told her. She looked a little bewildered for a moment there. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"I just thought, well...some books I've read make it seem that robots hurt people."

"Not all books are true." Echo said tying off the bandage. "Turn please." He motioned to her arm. She gasped seeing her arm had a huge gash in it. She didn't actually realize that she had anymore injuries. Perhaps it was the shock? She did as he asked and turned to her side. He ran a cloth over the wound causing her to hiss in pain. He stopped for a moment to look at her. She however didn't tell him to stop so he kept going without anymore audioable references.

"This one may need some stitching." He informed her.

"Are you a doctor?" She asked and he lifted a book to show her that he was getting his knowledge from an old dusty book.

"My father had a lot of books, so I went to borrow one from his room." He said and pointed out the injuries. Kate hated medical books, the idea of looking into ones body grossed her out greatly. Sadly more then likely a robot wouldn't get uneasy from looking into a body. Right? She looked at him for a moment and watched him pull something from the small white box with a red cross on it.

"Please hold still while I administer the medication." He pushed the needle in without waiting for her to at least tell him she was ready. He just stabbed it in. She jumped and yelped a bit.

"Warn me next time!" She yelled. Echo looked dumbfounded. "I'm not a robot I can actually feel that!" She yelled and looked at her arm.

"I sense you are getting irritable because of your injuries."

"Nah you think!" She yelled and watched as he threaded the needle. She took a second to calm herself down and think about what was going on. A robot was about to sow her arm up, and he was getting his information from a book. Seemed familiar.

"I'm Kate by the way...Kate Barnaby." She looked at him squarely before he started to work on her arm. She wanted to at least tell her rescuer her name. At least know what his was in return.

"I am Zane...but two people who visited not to long ago started to call me Echo because it was my brother who was named Zane. I was just a replica." He said slightly sad.

"Echo...its unique. I like it." She said smiling at him. "But no last name?" She asked. Echo shook his head not really knowing why he would need one.

"No...I was created to protect those who can not protect themselves." He looked up at her and held up the needle.

"I'm going to begin now Kate. Hold still please." He said taking hold of her arm and turned on a small lamp to his right so he could see properly. " You shouldn't feel anything." He said and began to sow one line at a time.

"This place is well thought out." Kate said looking up at the things that had been put into the rafters, the many ropes leading to other devices, and even some levers she wasn't sure what they even did.

"My father was an inventor." Echo said his tongue rested between his teeth as he tried to once again thread the needle. Kate watched him for a few more minutes and smiled. He reminded her a lot of a young boy.

"How old are you?" She asked. This question was odd to Echo. He actually never thought of it, he turned to look at the makeshift calendar Dr Julien put on the wall and shook his head.

"I...I don't really know. I was created in the spring once it warmed up enough for fathers old hands to work properly again. I remember four springs since." He said and pulled a piece of sheet around her arm.

"How many stitches did it take?" Kate asked looking at her arm.

"Six in total. Now that." He poked her forehead and saw her winch again.

"Honestly is their a part of me that didn't hurt?" She asked. Echo looked over her and shook his head.

"Its all one side of you which leads me to believe you might have hit something. What happened?" He asked. Kate sighed looking down at her ankle.

"It was a storm, we thought we would be fine, but then we were caught off guard by a sea creature with many arms, and three eyes." Kate shuttered visibly.

"The laviathon." Echo said covering his mouth. "I seen it on many occasions." He sighed and picked up his mess.

"Is that how you became stuck here too. You and your father?"

"No we were imprisoned here by the skeleton clan. They wanted father to build advanced vehicles to get to the underworld."

"He didn't do it did he?" Kate asked surprised.

"Yes...he did it to see brother again." Echo said setting a cup of tea on the floor for her.

"Where is your father and brother?"

"Father disappeared with brother and never came back." He said. "But those two talked about brother a lot so I assumed he was alright, but said nothing of father." Kate was saddened about this information. The idea that one could loose the only family they ever known was a troubling thought, specially for someone as young as Echo.

"Do you think your brother will come for you?" She asked. Echo shook his head and ran his fingers over the grooves on his arm.

"I...am not worth keeping." Echo whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Authors Notes: No their isn't any relationship between Echo or Kate...nor will their be in the future. Kate thinks he's a kid, and will treat him as such.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 3**_

 ** _Storm_**

The soft sound of frying food echoed in the room as Kate once again opened her eyes. She turned to see the boy robot that she talked to most of the night till she fell asleep. Her injuries had been redressed, and the soreness was almost gone. She moved her arm up and down to see just how sore it was. She looked down at the wound on her arm and sighed. It was still bleeding a little through the bandage.

"I hope you are hungry today. You didn't each much of your dinner last night." Echo said putting a plate of eggs down. She looked around the building and pointed at the eggs. She was about to voice something, but she thought better of it. She dug into her potentially sea gull eggs. Now only if there was a large cup of coffee to be had things would be great. Probably only tea, which Echo seemed to be really good at making. He seemed very proud last night when she voiced her opinion.

"Are they satisfactory?" He asked her. She nodded her head her mouth still full of eggs. "I'm sorry I don't have much, but it'll have to work till I'm finished fixing the radio." He said looking down at the girl leaning against a box.

"Hey Echo want me to help clean?" She sat up with her plate. Echo turned around from putting the pan in the sink.

"Oh no I couldn't ask you to do that. Your injured!" He said pointing to her arm. Kate shook her head and slowly stood up using the box to help her stand.

"I'm fine see...all better." She said and took a step forward. Her full weight on her swollen ankle caused her to yelp in pain.

"Kate?" Echo held out his arms to help steady her. "Why do you insist on harming yourself further. I can handle the cleaning, its alright." Echo said ducking his head just a little to look at the woman in the eyes. she was rather short compared to him. "You have got to rest. Your effort is noted." He sat her down on the box. He turned, but turned back around and looked at her. "Stay..." He turned back and picked up her plate.

A loud rumbling sound echoed off in the distance. Kate gasped and looked down. She wasn't sure why such a sound caused such a reaction out of her.

"Kate? Are you in pain? Should I get some more medication." He was in front of her faster then she thought he could travel.

"Yeah...yeah just the thunder caught me off guard is all. Kind of startled me. I'm good." She smiled to show him that she wasn't hurt. He slowly turned back around and walked back to the sink. Kate looked over the medical book he had left near her. She wanted to at least attempt to read over what was wrong with her limbs.

A bright flash had the book forgotten and laying on the ground while Kate stood with her forehead to the back of Echos neck and shivering from fright.

"Kate?" Echo was surprised at the sudden contact he was receiving. He had never been touched like this.

"I'm okay...just...scared." She said. She felt Echo pull away from her and put his arms around her. "I'm stupid...never been afraid of a storm before." She said swallowing hard, tears streaming down her cheeks. Tears she didn't know she shed.

"I believe you may have become afraid of them through your traumatic experience on that ship." Echo said looking down at the frightened face of the young woman in his arms.

"I'm sorry." She sniffled

"Why? I'm afraid of spiders." He said pointing to the rafters. "I don't clean up there much...at least until the spiders become so many that they begin to fall into my food." He said pointing to the pots soaking in the water.

"How long do storms last here?" Kate asked not really troubled that she was in some strange robots arms. He himself didn't seem to be annoyed with it. She jumped again when thunder rolled across the sky.

"I do not have that sort of equipment to find out I'm afraid." He said gesturing back over to the box. She slowly walked along with him. He helped her to sit down and then sat down next to her.

"I shouldn't be afraid like this." It annoyed her so much, she just kept repeating it. She never knew she could be afraid of something so stupid.

"I'll take time for this unconscious fear to subside. You were traumatized Kate." Echo reasoned with her. He picked up the book and opened it to a chapter about traumatic experiences and what to do to help. She tried to read the chapter to keep her mind off things. Yet she got to the second chapter when she heard another rumble and closed her eyes accidentally dropping the book.

"Would you like for me to read the book to you?" Echo asked. Kate shook her head, not wanting to bother him anymore then she already did.

When Kate was a young girl her father hated to be bothered by her childish fears. He brushed her off most of the time and kept doing what he did best. Drank brandy, smoked a cigar, and manage his shipping company. The worst disappointment in his life was the fact that she wasn't a son, and the second was the fact that her coming was what took his wife from him. She never pleased him ever.

"Kate?" Kate jumped at the sound of her own name. She sighed and shook her head. "Apologies if I scared you, but you were gritting your teeth. Its not very good for your jaw."

"I was thinking of my father."

"Was he a nice man like mine?" Echo asked Kate shook her head and sighed looking into the bronze and gold eyes.

"Not really. He preferred to pretend that I didn't exist." Kate sighed "I don't think I even know how to have fun. I think the closest I ever got to having fun was when I was 12 and I road a bike through town. My 'friends' were just jerks paid to keep me busy by my father."

"That doesn't sound like a father." Echo said slowly standing up to stand in front of her.

"No it doesn't. I guess you and I are a matching pair." Kate said hugging her knees to her chest. Her hand messing with the bow Echo had put on the sheet he used to wrap her bandages.

"Should change those." Echo said after a moment of silence. He walked over to the white box again and walked back over.

"Did you fix that radio by the way?" Kate asked seeing the makeshift radio.

"I don't know actually. I tried to summon the bounty, but I don't know if it went through. I'll take it apart again tomorrow and try again." Echo said

"Want some help? I don't have to stand to do that." Kate said. Echo chuckled and shook his head.

"You just can't stay seated can you?" He said pulling off the arm bandage.

"I don't like not working. Its just not me." She gasped cringing hiding herself from yet another flash of lightning and crash of thunder.

"I think its passing us now. Less lightning." Echo said. Kate pulled away seeing Echo with his hand on her unharmed shoulder She didn't feel it, she felt kind of hot.

"Kate?" He reached into the box and pulled a thermometer out and held it out to her. "Here, under the tongue."

"You don't suppose I have a fever do you?" Kate asked wiping the thermometer off on her pants before putting it into her mouth. Thats when she realized that her clothing looked like someone threw them off a cliff into a large mound of sand and it tumbled all the way down into an equally as tall mound of sand. Her exclamation was loud and it echoed against the kitchen walls.

Echo tried not to laugh, but he did and it caused Kates cheeks to turn red. He pulled the thermometer out of her mouth.

"The book says that you can get a fever under stressful situations after such injuries." He said putting the thermometer back into the box.

"I look hideous!" She blurted and looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I...well I thought you..." He looked a little apologetic. "I don't know what you looked like before." He said and motioned for her to stand and helped her down to the bathroom.

"Lets give you a bath then."

"I can bathe myself thank you sir." She said and Echo looked at her for a second.

"Alright, but please promise me you'll call me if you have anything you need help with." Echo said opening the door.

"Fine I promise."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Authors Notes: Thanks so much for the reviews everyone. Honestly they mean a lot to me. Also their was one review by someone who said they could help me (Honestly my grammar sucks) but showed up as a guest. I don't know if he did it as a bad joke, or didn't realize. I wouldn't mind the help but I can't ask because I don't know who you are. Please comment via PM thanks.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 4**_

 ** _Radio_**

Kate had never seen so much sand on one person as she seen on herself at that moment. She looked down at her naked form and realized that sand and salt were solid forms. They were very much solid and sticking to a lot of her body. She looked up at the bronze bath tub, the steaming water. It seemed to invite her in. With both her hands firmly on either side she gingerly got in.

The hot water helped her sore muscles greatly. All she knew for about 30 minutes was the steam, and gentle easing of her soreness. Then came the knock on the door.

"You've been in there for an hour Kate, are you alright?" Echo asked. Kate blinked wondering if she had fallen asleep. The water had cooled down a whole lot.

"Yeah just relaxing." Kate said looking at her feet. One of her toe nails were missing. Actually that had nothing to do with the ship, that was the coffee table a few days before. She sighed ringing her now clean hair out in the bath before finally getting out. She pulled a bright blue towel around herself and looked at her old clothing. She narrowed her eyes at them and sighed. "Hey Echo?" She called through the door. She did promise that if she needed some help he would be there.

She heard someone walk up to the door.

"Yes Kate?" He called inside.

"Do...Do you suppose your father had any clothing I could borrow? Mine are a bit...uh...the longer I look at them the more they want to be burned."

"Really?" Echo asked

"No its a joke." Kate said opening the door a little to look at him. She didn't like not looking people in the eyes when they talk.

Echo smiled at her understanding what she meant. He walked off for a few minutes and came back with a large shirt, and a pair of brown pants.

"I'm afraid your ankle my still be to swollen for any socks." Echo said

"Thats fine." She said having been passed the clothing from the crack.

A few moments later Kate walked out of the room holding the pants up and sighed.

"The pants don't really fit." She said Echo helped her up the stairs and back into the kitchen. Actually she wondered why he always brought her there. Perhaps it acted as the living area. He walked back over to her and took her hands and held them up for a second and pulled a rope around her midsection.

"Hopefully this helps your pants not to fall down."

"Your father doesn't have a belt?" Kate asked watching him tie it off.

"No...it snapped." Echo said and pulled a lever. A table appeared in the middle of the room. Kate blinked because for some reason her brain couldn't wrap around the fact that this was possible.

"What...what do the other levers do?" Kate asked and saw him bring over a chess board.

"I don't know what all of them do, but that one opens the upper hatch door, we used that to star gaze, that one there activates the booby traps, Nya made that one. That one there turns on the light for the light house, and that small one at the very top does something Jay told me never to use unless I really really had to. I couldn't get to it...they took her." Echos eyes looked as if they were seeing something that Kate couldn't.

"What happened?" Kate asked softly putting her hand over his.

"Pirates attacked, Jay disappeared, and Nya was taken. Jay came back for me, and we went to rescue Nya. I remember we did that and then she was hit by something...and then everything went crazy...I...I woke back up here. I remember it, but all the injuries I had were gone as if it never happened. I saw my brother for the first time, and now its like it was a dream."

"Then perhaps you dreamed it?" Echo looked at her like she had slapped him.

"But...everything here that was changed when they were here. Their things are still here. The front door that had been smashed in is still broken. It had to have happened..."Echo said moving a pawn on the chess board.

Their was a loud crackle from the radio for a moment. Echo stood up and walked over to it. He had to have been tinkering with it while she was in the bath.

"Hello! This is lighthouse island. I am Zane. Their was a ship wreck and I have a cast away thats in need of assistance please help." Their was a pause and a voice that Echo knew very well.

"Echo!?" Nyas voice echoed in the room. "Alright we're on our way."

"Is...is my brother with you?" Echo asked innocently.

"Yeah but...he doesn't remember you. We've been hit with one thing right after the other after we met. We just didn't think it would be safe to bring you into it. You were safe where you were. I'm afraid Master Wu is...missing."

"Echo how is your castaway able to be moved on her own or do we need a lot more medical supplies?" Jays voice echoed

"I can walk on my own thanks." Kate said with a smile. She would be going home soon. She was thankful to Echo and sighed.

"You okay?" Echo asked her watching her lay back

"Yeah just thankful." She said covering her face. Echo got worried for a moment and sat down beside her. He heard her sniffle

"Hey Echo...can I ask you a question?" Jays voice echoed in the room. "How do you remember us?"

"Remember?" Echo asked touching his chest piece. "My clock...its untouched by time. Created by a man who had a way with time father said. Its my power source. Never needs winding. My time always goes forward, no matter what." He said "I think the man works in a museum in Ninjago City now."  
Kate looked up at Echo who put his palm to her forehead.

"You have a fever." He said and softly smiled at her. "Lets get a blanket on you."

"Echo whats going on?" Nya asked.

"Nothing, she's got a fever coming on." He said grabbing a medication bottle and handed her a few pills before helping her drink the water. Kate just smiled at him.

"You're just a mother hen you know that?" Kate said.

"Mother hen?"

"Just means you care a lot." Kate said. Echo smiled and nodded.

"Yes I am a mother hen." He said causing Kate to laugh.

"Hey lets make some lunch huh?" Kate asked and pointed to the bread, and cheese on the counter. Echo looked at the clock on the wall saying 5pm.

"More like dinner thanks to that bath." He said and chuckled when Kates cheeks turned red.

"I promise I've never taken a bath for that long before. I was just really sore."

"After being thrown bodily into the water..." Her face went from a smile to a frown. She snapped her eyes shut as the whole thing came back at her life a wave. "I wonder if..."

"Come...lets make something to eat." Echo said trying to get her attention away from the wreck.

Kate put four pieces of bread onto the pan and then put the cheese right on top of another pan. This pan was just going to heat the cheese and slightly melt it so they could put it onto the toasted bread. It wasn't much, but they were able to eat it with tea.

"Where did you learn how to make tea?"

"Father taught me, and he tried to teach me to cook, but we have all you see here. I didn't have many options to cook. I don't have anymore oil left, and my gears need it." He opened his chest palett a little more to show her. Echo jumped for a moment feeling Kate lean on him a little more. She was falling asleep now that she was warm, fed, and the medication probably was doing its work.

"Kate?" Echo asked and picked her up. He lay her back down on the cot he made for her and pulled the blanket up.

"Echo?" She asked through her sleepy haze. "I've never had a real friend before." She told him. Yeah sure she talked to class mates, and co workers, but no one would be considered a friend.

"Am I?" Echo said. Kate smiled up at him and reached out to touch his hand. He sat down and took it.

"Yes...I do believe you are my friend." Her eyes closed of their own accord. Echo softly smiled down at her.

"Yes...I believe so too."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Authors Notes: Apologies this is the shortest chapter. But the next chapter will start the adventure properly. You'll finally meet your villain.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 5**_

 _ **Destiny's Bounty**_

Zane looked down at the shattered door which was once again on the floor. The knob in his hand, and a bewildered look on the man behind him.

"His power source saved him from the back lash of the dream you and Nya had apparently." Zane said to his brother in arms Jay. Jay shrugged his shoulders and motioned for Zane to keep going.

"I wish you could remember big guy, but all we can tell you is what we gave you when the overlord tried to attack your hard drive." Nya said and walked forward with the two walking just behind her.

Zane looked up into the lighthouse. He thought the building would smell musty by now, but it actually smelled clean, and a lot of the stuff he figured would be in disrepair were still functional. He looked down at his feet. The room still smelled of his father.

Zane looked up hearing Nya talking to Echo. The sound seemed to perfectly echo off each other. He could hear them.

"She's got a wound on her upper arm, forehead, her knuckles, and a broken ankle." Echo said pointing to all the injuries. Zane looked around at Jay and nodded to him. He was unsure about his brother, and wondered if he had hated him for forgetting him. He was angry at himself for forgetting, and then choosing not to return for him because of the safety. He hoped one day his brother would find it in his heart to forgive him. He just didn't want him hurt.

Zane made it up to the landing, he was finally able to see his brother pulling a blanket around the young red haired girl.

"Zane?" Echo said standing up suddenly feeling smaller then anyone in the room. He fidgeted with his finger. Their was a wire sticking out from his thumb. He would play with that when he was nervous. "I'm...I'm sorry." He said.

Zane was rather confused by the apology. He stepped forward trying to close the gap between himself and his brother. Yet he was to afraid he might overwhelm the young nindroid so he stopped.

"Why?" Zane asked. Echo looked at the floor rubbing the tip of his foot on the floor trying to feel something other then his embarrassment.

"I don't know what I did to make you not want me...but...I promise I'll make it u..." He gasped watching his brother rush forward and pull him into a hug. Zane pulled him closer then he dared. He was afraid he would break him if he pulled him in as hard as his heart wanted.

"It is I who should apologize. I decided not to come back for you after I was told about you. Everyone on Ninjago had forgotten everything except for Jay and Nya. I was only just told about you about a month ago...Then things just kept popping up and things were incredibly dangerous. I...well I decided it was safer for you to stay here." Zane explained to his brother who at first felt very surprised by his brothers actions. Yet when his brother rubbed his back and tried to explain things he felt the tears falling. Zane just kept holding him, he didn't want to let go till his brother was finished.

Finally after a little while Zane and Echo pulled away and Zane reached forward running his hand over his brothers cheek trying to get rid of any stray tears.

"I guess, I'll see you later then." Echo said walking back toward the stairs and into the store closet.

"What are you talking about Echo your coming this time." Jay said pointing to Kate. "I think she'd rather you stay with her anyways."

"But you are Ninja...Ninjagos saviors...why should she be afraid of you?" Echo asked. Zane just smiled and looked down at Kate who was still fast asleep.

"We're strangers. You shouldn't ever go with strangers."

Echo nodded his head knowing this to be true and then remembered something.

"When she first saw me she was very frightened. She might be frightened again brother." Echo said going over to a cabinet and pulled out a cloth and put an oil can, and a few tools into it before folding it in and looked at Zane. "Okay..."

Nya looked around at Jay and whispered.

"Do you think we can talk Zane into giving him some clothing?"

"Hopefully we can't have a naked nindroid walking around Ninjago city."

"Naked!" Echo yelled and looked down at himself and gasped.

A few minutes later Lloyd, Cole, and Kai looked up seeing the guests come on board. Echo insisted on carrying Kate. He himself had on a pair of his fathers pants. They were a little long for him but he rolled them up and kept going.

"Let me show you were she can sleep." Lloyd said. Echo followed the young boy into another room with a large bed. It used to be Master Wu's room but he figured it would be alright for him to use in an emergency. Echo watched as Lloyd pulled the blanket back and let him lay the young girl down.

"I'll go make some tea." Nya said and walked out leaving Echo there with the sleeping feverish woman.

"How long was she there?" Zane asked looking over the girls wounds. He was no physician but he knew human anatomy.

"Three days."

"Why did it take so long to call us?" Kai asked. Echo looked up at him seeing him leaning against the doorway.

"My radio was busted by the pirates." Echo said.

"Yeah a lot of the light house was in shambles after the pirates got hold of it." Jay said and looked up at Nya and smiled. She walked in and put the tea on the bed side table.

"So what did happen to her?" Lloyd asked. Echo sat back and told them everything.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Authors Notes: Oh noes!**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 6**_

 ** _Siren_**

Her brain felt like cotton swabs were stuffed inside. She still felt hot, and clammy. She however had to wake up because she had to use the bathroom. She slowly sat up and looked around the room. It was empty, but very beautiful. She limped over to a door and opened it seeing that it was a closet, within were long white robes. She then limped over to the second door which happened to be the rest room.

Once done she slowly walked over to the bed again, but paused when she heard Echos voice from the room next door. Then their was a second voice that sounded a lot like Echos but much deeper. It must have been this brother she heard a lot about. She could hear them talking quietly.

"She said she worked for a museum. Perhaps we can take her there and..."

"The museum no longer stands." Zane said

"What happened?" Echo asked

"The time twins is what happened. They tried to throw the world into chaos and destroy any technology which also means us." Zane pointed between himself and Echo. Echo gasped and ran his hands over his clock.

"But if they created that clock of yours...then perhaps it wouldn't have an effect on you."

"Yes you do look far more different then you did before brother." Echo said. Zane looked baffled for a moment.

"How so?"

"You and I looked just alike except you were titanium, and also not covered in rust." He looked at himself in dismay.

"Well have you looking better soon." Zane chuckled.

Kate sighed and walked over to the window and opened it and gasped seeing that they were in a boat. She stood up and quickly walked out of the room and up the steps to the outside. She looked this way and that trying to find something anything for some sort of stability. She was freaking out and she knew it...but her mind couldn't help it. She looked this way and that backing up into a wall. Her breathing coming in gasps.

A hand rested on her shoulder and she saw those glowing blue orbs of Zanes.

"Kate?" His voice was more deeper then Echos.

"Kate?" Echos voice came next she closed her eyes for a moment trying to get some sort of control. "Kate can you hear me."

"I'm...I'm okay." She said looking down at her feet taking a deep breath once more looking back up. "I'm good."

"What was wrong?" Zane asked looking her in the eyes scanning her. Kate shook her head.

"I suddenly realized I was back on a ship and...and it just didn't sit right in my head. I had to get out. Fresh air and all that." Kate noticed that her foot was hurting a lot, she must have ran outside without even limping. She felt her head pounding too.

"Do you want me to stay out here with you?" Echo asked and smiled at her.

"If you want, I wouldn't argue. Its what friends do right?" She said smiling

Zane looked at the girl and shrugged his shoulders.

"I suppose I'll fetch my tools and fix you out here then." He said walking inside. Echo blushed purple realizing he probably hurt his brothers feelings. They were having a conversation about the museum, and he just ran out.

"Shouldn't you go spend some time with your brother? You finally get to see him. I don't matter that much." Kate said sitting down on a box looking over the calm water.

" I know, but you matter a lot to me too." Echo said and watched Kate stand up looking at the horizon and pointed.

"Do you see that?" Echo looked up and at what looked like an orange ship flying nearby. On the bow was a woman wearing rags.

"Siren!" Echo ducked down behind a box pulling Kate with him. She landed hard on her elbow.

"Echo what the heck!"

"Hush." He said harshly. The ship landed on the other side of the Bounty soundlessly. The woman stepped off her ship onto the unsuspecting Bounty.

"And no one on watch?" She looked around and chuckled at her luck only to be interrupted by Zane walking out of the door. Zane gasped dropping his tool box, tools were flung everywhere. The woman chuckled at him.

"Good evening. We're commandeering your ship." She said smiling. Her teeth were a nasty green color. Her eyes weren't that far off from the color of the dragons on the end of the ship, and her hair was that black and green.

"Pirates?!" He stepped back looking around for Echo and Kate. "What have you done to my brother!" He growled pulling out his katana.

"Brother...so their is another robot on board? Perfect." She grabbed Zanes sword and bent it back snapping it in two.

"These are my waters, they belong to me." She whispered in his audio. "They listen to my call." She took a deep breath and screamed as loud as she could. The windows all over the bounty shattered, both nindroids audios shattered, and Kates head swam.

When Kate opened her eyes again Echo was on his knees holding his head. It hurt him so much to try and register any sound at all. Kate looked up to see where Zane was. He was on his back trying to get any breath he could to help cool his systems. One of his optics had shattered.

"Zane!" Kate heard from the wheelhouse. She watched as a boy with blond hair ran down the steps followed closely by five other ninja.

"They have friends boys." She called up to her pirates. "Time for some fun?"

"Yeah!" A huge number of pirates ran to the side holding swords.

"Oh you poor things." She laughed pointing a gun at Zane. "Stay put and let them shackle you...or your robo buddy dies. Its simple." She said to Lloyd.

"Echo?" Kate whispered trying to pull Echo under the mesh more. He held one audio and then looked at Kate pleadingly. He pointed to Zane and gasped. His clock was cracked. Kate gasped looking at Echo trying to see if he was okay. He just leaned against the box his back against it. He kept sucking in air trying to cool his systems.

"Are their anymore on board?" The captain asked Lloyd and the others. Cole looked down at Zane seeing his shattered eye and the fact that he was actually panting. He didn't technically need air, but it meant something internally had been damaged, or he was overheating...or both.

"What did you do to Zane?!" Cole growled out at the Captain.

"Would you like to find out." She said leaning toward the earth elemental.

"N...No. Cole...no." Zane breathed out.

"Looks like someone learned their lesson." She looked at a rather large man. "Take them to the brig. The rest of you...tear this place apart. I want everything!"

Zane was picked up and thrown over the large mans shoulder.

"Brother..." Echo whispered not having the energy to move. His optics flickered. "Please..." His optics flickered out and he leaned heavily into Kate.

"Echo..." She whispered pulling him to her. How could she fix him like this? She looked around seeing the screwdriver close by and got to work. She could do what she could.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Authors Notes: Thanks so much for any and all the reviews I get. I love them all.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 7**_

 _ **Please**_

Kate never did understand a lot of technology, it wasn't for the lack of trying though. Of of her electives at college was robotics. She figured she needed to learn something for it just in case she got something mechanical with her job and more often then not their wouldn't be anyone for miles that could repair it. So she sat in front of the injured bronze nindroid and sighed. His chest plate was opened and her fingers were inside him. She had snagged a few more tools before the other pirates realized she was out of her hiding spot. They weren't very smart to begin with.

That other pirate Captain she learned the name of. Delphina. She was incredibly mean even to her own men. She also realized that half the men were def. Probably because of that God awful scream of hers. Kate still had the headache she had given to her.

Kate looked down at the unconscious nindroid once more to see if she was hurting him. That was the last thing she wanted. She knew Echo was incredibly gentle. Every so often he'd take a gasp of air. Which that couldn't be right at all. She had only knew him for a few days, but she had never seen him do that. Even while he slept. She looked over his mechanical and realized Zane had replaced a bunch of stuff. But the one thing that concerned her the most was the power source. The clock on his chest had been cracked. She watched it every so often. It would tick and hesitate before ticking again. She reached up and felt around to afraid to unscrew it from anything. So she leaned sideways and used a piece of Echos armor to flash the sunlight in to see that a few wires had come undone. She reached up and redid them. Echo gasped and turned his head a little.

Finally the rest of Echos inner workings started to click properly. He stopped making that gasp noise and even his optics began to slowly turn on again.

"Kate...?" He slowly moved to look up at her. His words were slow, and very tired sounding.

"Shhhh rest Echo. You took care of me now its my turn to take care of you. Stay quiet we're hiding." She said. Echos optics looked around their hiding spot. He looked down seeing Kates fingers were caked in oil. Even some other parts of her were covered in oil. Even the white shirt she had borrowed from his father. The shirt was terribly big on her.

"You fixed me?" He whispered and looked around. "No books too?"

"Theirs still some things that you need done, but I'm sure your brother was going to do them before..." Kate sighed looking over her fingers. She had cut them on wires, and nearly shocked herself. She sighed looking over them. Echos eyes covered hers.

"We couldn't have saved them. They even took the ninja. No one is that powerful, their is always someone bigger."

"Their was this one book I read a lot time ago." Kate smiled looking at her fingers again and clamped her hands. "Maybe it'll help?" She said. Echo nodded.

"Better then nothing."

* * *

Zane leaned back against the wall in the brig. Jay, Kai, and Lloyd were in the one across from him, and the others were with him. He looked down at his chest plate. It was wide open and Nya looked over everything. A lot of it was burned.

"Am I far enough in?" She asked having to use Zane as a compass. She couldn't see in for the poor lighting, and she had no tools so she had to use her hands. Zane gasped and swallowed having been able to feel her in his chest plate. He hated the feel and he couldn't turn off his pain receptors.

"No...more to the left." He said closing his eyes again. Cole was pacing around in the brig. He hated hearing his friend in pain.

Their was a loud pop and Zane could feel his internal fans turn back on again. He took a deep breath and patted Nyas hand to show her it worked.

"Thank you Nya." He whispered and pointed to something else. "I have a pop thats dislocated. Thats the last of it if you would." He said He could feel the cool air going through his body now. Their was no need to gasp for air anymore. Nya reached in and felt around.

"Now only if we had some tape..." She said and looked up at Cole. She reached over and grabbed Cole. Cole yelped as he was pulled down. She grabbed his bracelets and pulled them free.

"Hey!" He saw that she was putting the rubber into Zanes frame. "Hopefully it holds." He said.

"I seen these things go against my brother in your sparing and that can get worse their the battle with the stone soldiers. I think this will do fine." She said and looked at Zane who smiled at her tiredly.

"I think I should be up and about in a few minutes." He closed his optics going into rest mode. In Nyas opinion she wished he could stay down for the night. He nearly died.

"Did anyone see Echo or Kate?" Lloyds voice echoed in the brig.

"Yes...they were on the deck hiding among the boxes." Zanes quiet voice said. "I'm sure my brothers body took as much strain as my own did or more because his frame was so rusted. That poor girl..." He said shuttering at the thought of a young girl being hit by the force that can crack titanium.

"Shhh." Kai warned standing up seeing the Captain coming down the steps.

"So I guess this is the part where we get to ask you if you want to join the crew or not..." She said running her fingers over the bars. "Of course you being the ninja and all...more then likely it'll be a no." She said looking over them. "Pity really." She whispered looking at Zane.

"You stay away from him." Lloyd growled grabbing the bars. She reached out quicker then Lloyd could blink grabbing his face and pulling him against the bars.

"Or what?" She whispered. "Is the legendary green ninja going to cry?" She cackled snapping her fingers. The bars were thrust open and each one dragged to the top deck.

"Good evening gentlemen." A man with a purple hat said. The plank was pushed out. "We have a good show for you. Fish...in a barrel."

"Mr. Doodles please tell them the rules." Delphina said watching them drag everyone out.

"Everyone gets one gun two bullets. The prisoners get thrown in the drink. If you pelt one you get something from the big pile of loot we just got here." He pointed to all the stuff the stole from the Bounty.

"Wait I can't swim!" Kai gasped being pushed up onto the plank. Every ninja yelling in turn as Kai was thrown into the water. He yelled as he went in. Cole jumped in after his friend. Kai spat and sputtered. Jay jumped in after to help Cole.

"Guys what are we going to do? We're in the middle of the ocean and they're going to start shooting at us!" Jays loud mouth continued to complain as Zane was thrown into the water followed by Nya and Lloyd.

"Alright you lot?" Delphina said looking over the edge. "Swim my little fishies and we'll see who won. On the count of three...one ..." She shot in the air which signaled the start.

"What ever happened to three!" Jay yelled swimming toward the Bounty. Shots were fired and several balls hit the water. Eventually they all stopped. The Ninja looked at one another to see if anyone was hit.

"I got one Cap!" One yelled pointing toward Kai.

Kai looked at himself.

"No you didn't I'm fine." He said and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. He gasped and looked around at Cole.

"Jay...Jay!" He looked around again. "JAY!" He pushed Cole away from him and dove down. He realized just what happened. Jay protected him. Kai could see Jays silhouette as it floated down, blood coming from his midsection. He grabbed his friends hand and pushed him back toward the surface with Lloyd and Coles help.

"Perfect Jax...you can have whatever you want in that pile!" Delphine said seeing the very happy man pick out a small pen.

"This here ma'me then I can write those lovely stories you like so much." He said with a smile.

"To bad for them...they lost...someone."

"Jay..." Nya ran her fingers through his soaked hair.

The engines on the Bounty engnited and began to lift off. The anchor came up to meet the Ninja. They hung onto it and Jay for dear life.

"No! Stop them!" Delphina yelled not realizing the ship flew. Now she really wanted that ship.


	8. Chapter 8

_Authors Notes: Apologies for no new chapter last night, I'm afraid my computer ate it. But thanks to the efforts of a certain lovely person on tumblr (Hope you know who you are) I learned of Google Doc and I started using it. Rather simple thanks._

 _ **WARNING** : This chapter is very medical seeing as what happened to Jay. Its not to graphic or bloody sounding, but it could be a trigger to some._

* * *

 _Bronze Colored Heart_

 _Chapter 8_

 _Jay_

Echo and Kate cheered loudly having successfully preformed their plan flawlessly. Echo wasn't to sure how to pilot the Bounty at all, his fingers had shook so bad as they took the wheel, and Kate pushed the flight button.

Kate hadn't left his side though since they took off a few moments ago. He expected he was her fear of ships, and probably heights because of the wreck. He looked around at her for a moment realizing that she was smiling as she looked on past the clouds. But her smile faltered for a moment while she watched the ninja swing on board from the anckor. Echo looked out over the wheel to see them pulling Jays unconscious form over the side. Blood soaking the front of his Gi.

"Jay…" Echo whispered running out of the wheelhouse. His first friend was laying dying on the deck. When both Echo and Kate ran out they could hear Lloyd clearer. He looked up Kai.

"Call Borg!" He yelled.

"Whats he going to do? Make him into a robot?!" Kai argued back at him. Echo looked amazed for a moment when the screen turned on and Borgs face appeared seemingly on its own accord.

"Pixal what is it?" He rubbed his eyes having probably been awoken from a dead sleep.

"We have an emergency." Pixal said from her little spot on the side of the screen. "Jay has been injured."

"Injured!"

Cole walked in carrying Jay in his arms. Lloyd and Kai pushed everything off the table not caring what it was or if it broke. Jay was laid down on the table trying to make him comfortable.

"Oh dear, what happened?"

"Pirates." Lloyd offered looking up at the man. "We need you to advice us. I know you're an engineer, but you are the only one who we know that is knowledgeable in the medical field." Lloyd said. Borg nodded his head and looked down at the patient.

"I can't do much on my side sadly. Is their anyone among you that is alright with the sight of the inside of a body?" Borg asked them. Kate pointed at Echo.

"Echo stitched me up after the wreck a few days ago. He did a beautiful job." She said showing her arm. Borg nodded looking to where she was pointing. Echo stepped forward slightly shy seeing the huge screen in front of him.

"Their is no need to be shy my boy." He said pointing to Jay. "He needs to your help."

Echo looked down at Jay and shook his head and looked around at his brother who put his hand on his shoulder.

"I'll stay with you." He offered as support.

"Alright everyone he's going to need hot water, blankets, sheets, towels, first aid kit, anything you can use to stitch it up, some super glue, and duct tape." Borg said watching everyone in the room run off to get said items. Echo walked out of the room to wash his hands. Some clean gloves from the first aid kid was given to him.

"You must be Zanes younger brother. I'm Cyrus Borg I created Pixal." He said gesturing to the young android in the small frame on the picture.

"I do not think we have been properly introduced. I am your brothers girlfriend."

"Girlfriend!" He had heard this term many times in books he had read of his fathers. "You have a girlfriend?" Echo said with a huge smile.

"Yes." He blushed helping his brother pull the Gi off Jay.

"Make sure you get every piece of his Gi or you won't be able to heal him properly. If there's any Gi left in his system more then likely it'll cause an infection." Borg informed them. Echo took Jays Gi and lay it out in front of him taking the bits and pieces and lined them up to insure that none was left behind.

"We're missing a piece." Zane said pointing to a huge chunk missing.

"Brother look…" Within the chunk taken out was a shiny piece of metal. Zane smiled and looked up at Borg.

"Thats good. Perhaps the water slowed the balls travel. It doesn't mean it didn't hurt him a lot. However infections can happen so use that hot water Kai brought and wash that wound good after removing that ball." Borg said watching Echo come back over with the needle. Within was a off white color.

"It will numb the pain a little, but its not much. This first aid kit wasn't designed to help with surgery." Echo informed and pushed the content into Jays wound.

"Understood. At least it'll help him rest comfortably for a little while." He said looking at Jays face go from pained to comfortable after about ten minutes.

Echo walked back over a moment later. He looked back up at everyone else sitting down against the wall across from them. They either couldn't watch, or were to afraid to understand what was going on.

Kai had Nya in his arms, tears were silently streaming down her face.

Echo leaned forward touching the space around the wound and watched Jay for any reactions. He took the water class his brother offered and poured it onto the wound and once again watched Jay for any reaction. He picked up a pair of tweezers and reached out closing the tweezers around the ball and slowly removed it. Jay gasped, and yelling in pain.

Cole jumped up looking at his brother worried that Echo was hurting him. Cole watched as the ball was placed on the table.

"Kai...we're going to need your help." Borg asked. Kai set Nya down next to Lloyd. Lloyd put his arm around Nya, he had never seen her so distraught before. He knew he wouldn't be able to console her as her brother does. But he was going to try. Kate put her hand on the older girls back and rubbed it a little.

"We're going to need to cauterize the wound. I had thought the wound was deeper then it was, but this shows that we might be alright with just a small burn.

"You mean you want me to burn Jay?" Kai asked and Borg slowly nodded his head.

"It is the best way." Borg insisted.

Kai nodded his head and looked down at Jay. He reached up putting his hand on his brothers shoulder and sighed.

"Sorry man this is going to hurt."

"Not as much as you would think since the area is numbed." Echo offered trying to ease Kai's mind. Kai bit his bottom lip and put his hand over the wound and used his flame on his friend.

Jay arched his back feeling the flame on him. His scream echoed throughout the Bounty.

Nya practically jumped into Coles arms crying harder then he had ever seen her. Even that day they had lost Zane.

"Alright...I think thats good. Put a piece of cloth down over the wound and close it off with that duct tape. Your done." Borg said sighing sitting back down. "You ninja are going to be the death of me." He said taking off his glasses and wiping his eyes free of any stray tears. He had been silently crying through the whole thing.

"He's just fine Nya...you can go see now." Zane said helping his sister from her position practically in Coles lap. She sniffled and took Zanes hand. She walked over wiping the tears away. She ran her hand over his. Almost afraid that if she were to take his hand it would hurt him more. His hand was so much bigger then hers. A had that took hers so many times. She almost wished that he would take hers, but she knew he wouldn't.

"I'd suggest getting him to a hospital as soon as you can." Borg said watching the interaction between the love birds. He turned to Echo and smiled. "And you young nindroid should come to my company I'll have you fitted with brand new parts. Make you look brand new like your brother." He said.

"You should consider a profession in the medical field." Kate whispered to him. Echo looked down at her realizing that this was the first time they ever physically stood in front of one another unhindered. She was able to stand perfectly now because of him.

* * *

Delphina watched as the ship disappeared from view. Her first mate watched her as she brooded. He knew what was coming and voiced it to the others as she was fuming.

"Follow that ship!" He yelled. Delphina walked off toward he quarters.

"I want that ship." She yelled out, and we'll call in all our ships to do it. We'll take Ninjago City if we have to. They made a fool of me."

"Ma'me...Ninjago City!?" He exclaimed watching his Captain turn and smile at him.

"Its not like it wasn't my dream to begin with." She said looking on at him. " Hoops...I want...that ship...I want that crew...I want their heads!" She yelled the last half in his face. He nodded his head fast knowing the next thing she would do is scream. He saw people die having been screamed at like that Nindroid did. That was the last thing he wanted. It looked painful.

"To Ninjago City boys! Call out our brothers. We're going to take the City tonight!"


	9. Chapter 9

_**Authors Notes: Second chapter of the day simply because I'm bored and have nothing to do maybe I'll throw a third out there. Lets see what I can cook up.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 9**_

Power Source

Echo looked on at the building in front him. It was the tallest building he had ever seen. Well technically this was the first time he had left Lighthouse Island. His brother took his hand and ushered his brother into the building before the screaming fans pulled him from him. They were once again in the limelight after what happened to Jay. They wanted to know what happened to their favorite blue ninja.

Kate had hold of his other arm, even questions were being thrown at her about who she was and what her relationship with Echo was. Honestly she didn't think there was a relationship simply because they had only met a week ago. She never had this much attention in her life. Zane just told her to speak truthfully if wished to answer any of their questions. Kate just kept glued to Echos side. She answered a few questions she knew the answer to.

Once inside Borg Industries they both were able to unglue and look at one another. Their were pieces of paper in their pockets and/or gears with girls, or guys phone numbers on them.

"Goodness, how many this time?" Borg had personally came down to greet them.

"Uncountable." Zane answered with a chuckle.

"This must be the young woman from the ship wreck? I'm afraid that was one of my ships, and their were thirteen survivors out of twenty one. One of which was a young boy who said he saw you, and put a life jacket on you, so you should have survived somewhere." Borg said. Kate gasped she had wondered to herself if that young cabin boy had survived. She had a soft spot for children.

Echo saw her visibly shag her shoulders almost in complete relief.

"I had hoped he had survived." She put her head on Echos shoulder.

"Are you alright Kate" Echo asked taking her hand. She nodded her head and smiled at him.

"I don't think I would have survived if it weren't for you Echo. Thanks for saving me." She said and kissed his cheek. Echo blushed purple. Borg chuckled and pointed to the elevator.

"If you'll follow me I'll lead you to the R and D lab where we can discuss and look over your inner workings and see what needs to be done." Borg motioned for them to follow.

"I guess this is it then. I should get back to my home. I live a few blocks from here." Kate said to Echo. Echo was a little taken aback by this. For some reason he actually never felt that they would ever be apart again. It just felt so natural for him to be with her.

"Kate?" He called. Kate turned around which was actually kind of difficult with a crutch that was given to her by the hospital. Thankfully her foot was only sprained. "I'll miss you." He said to her. Kate blushed and nodded her head.

"Here." She said picking up a pen from the counter and wrote something onto a piece of paper the girls had wrote their own numbers on. She had scratched out the original. "This is my phone number and address. Come by and see me when you get settled, or if you just want to talk. Remember we're friends now." She handed it to him. He looked over it and nodded his head looking at his brother.

"It would seem your list of friends had grown exponentially over the last time Jay had met you." Zane said.

Kate took a deep breath and walked back toward the door.

"Ms. Barnaby you may want to take the side door since their is that huge crowd outside." Borg called out. Kate nodded her head and limped toward the door. Kate looked over her shoulder and watched Echo turn to look back at her and give her the tinyest wave. The elevator doors closed after him. Kate visibly slumped and shook her head.

"Stupid...isn't it." She said following the exit signs. "Falling for a robot. How could he even…" Her heart skipped a beat when she said what she thought. "How could anyone love me."

* * *

Echo followed his brother into the lab. Zane had gracefully steered Borg into the room and stopped him so Echo could get a full view of the huge games being played. The awe on his face told Borg that the nindroid was impressed...until he asked.

"What are they doing? Is that hurting them?" He asked. Borg looked at Zane surprised.

"Has he never seen a video game before?" He asked. Zane shrugged his shoulders putting his hands in his pant pockets.

"I don't even think he knows what a television is."

"Good lord…" Borg looked baffled himself. "He does realize…" He shook his head and motioned to another door.

"Echo…" Zane called to his brother who turned away from the screens and ran past him. Stepping over the perfect match machine. He stopped looked at it and blushed before running on toward where his brother was waiting.

"Brother what is that machine?" He pointed to the machine and Zane shook his head.

"Nothing of concern. Just a game." He said and motioned to a table for him to get up on.

"Please if you don't mind could you take off anything metal that you might have that isn't part of you. I'm going to x ray your body structure to see how you are made." Borg said Echo looked at himself and looked at his pants.

"I do not have anything I don't think. Even the button on these pants are plastic in origin." Echo said and lay down.

"Alright then Echo try to stay as motionless as you can." Borg said pushing a button and asked Echo to turn over on his side so he can take a picture of him that way. At first Echo wasn't to sure what he meant by picture. When he saw the x ray of his frame he realized why.

"Extraordinary." He said looking over it all.

"To bad it doesn't tall me about Zanes power source when I x rayed it." He said. Echo shrugged his head.

"It wouldn't. Father got that crystal from a meteorite that fell to Ninjago near where he lived before in Berchwood." Echo said. This had both Zane and Borg interested in what he said.

"My power source is...from space?" Zane asked putting his hand over his chest. Echo nodded his head. "What of yours?" Borg asked.

"It was created by that nut job at the museum." Zane spat. Borg shuttered remembering what it was like to be imprisoned by them.

"He was not a very good man." Borg said and looked at Echo for a moment before completing his work.  
"Am I...alright?" Echo asked touching his power source. "I don't want to be any trouble." He said looking up at his brother questioning his existence.

"Echo you are my brother in every big of the sense. We may have two different power sources, but that just means father would do anything to create us. He loved us dearly."

"But why...did he leave me?" Echos question seemed well thought out, and extremely sad.

"That...I can only guess...it would be the same reason why I didn't go back for you. Fear. I was afraid of what would happen to you if I did and those time twins got hold of you. What would have happened? I do not want to think of such a thing." Zane said putting his hand over his brothers power source. "I am sorry though. I did try to call you, but now I know why you didn't answer. Your radio was broken. I thought…" Zane took a deep breath and sat down on the table as Borg got his tools together.

"You thought I was angry."

"I...thought you didn't want me." Zane said shuttering his optics.

"Brother…" Echo said looking back down at their feet. He put his head on his brothers shoulder. His brother leaned in and hugged him. "Your here now."

"Yes...come what may."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Authors Notes: It looks like Echo and Kate have grown on me...I know I said I wouldn't...but I have never done an OC and character pairing for some time. Please tell me what you think in the reviews :D**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 10**_

 _ **When it rains…**_

Echo looked at himself in the mirror. He looked brand new. All the rust was gone and it was replaced with a bronze frame. It took some work, and honestly to Borg it was his best work. Even Pixal said he was bright and shiny.

"Do you think Kate will like it." He looked at his brother who just softly smiled at his brother.

"Something tells me she loved you even when you were rusted." Zane said looking on out of the floor to ceiling window in Borgs office. Echo looked at his reflection again and then turned around to look at his brother.

"Loved? But brother we are only friends." He tried to mask his embarrassment.

"Oh is that what that was." Pixal said from a monitor to Echos left. "That's not what th…" The sirens started to go off. Zane turned to look around the city. A huge plume of fire and smoke enveloped the horizon. Echo gasped looking at the many ships that dotted the sky. He turned to look at his brother.

"Ships." He said and looked around at Borg who pushed a button on his desk.

"After our recent run ins with bad people I've put some defenses up for the people. It won't last forever Zane. You'll need to get back to the ninja."

"Echo stay here where it is safe." Zane pleaded with his brother. His brother however shook his head and held up a piece of paper with an address on it.

"I need to find Kate." Echo said

* * *

Kate looked out of her bedroom window and saw a large ship skirt through the buildings. She gasped closing the curtain and looked around her apartment. She needed a weapon. She ran into the kitchen picking up a few knives and looked around for the broom...once again MIA. She probably left it in the hallway again.

She jumped hearing the front entrance to the apartment building being broken down. She ran to the window hoping to get out the fire escape. Once the curtains were thrown back a huge cannon was shoved inside and a huge hole was blown outward. The huge blast caused her to fly back and crash through the closet and into her bathroom.

She coughed trying to fill her lungs back up with air. Her ears rang for the second time that day. She jumped looking out over the sink. There were two pirates in her apartment. She picked up the knife she had got from her kitchen drawer and pushed herself further back in the shower. She tried to quietly put herself into a crouch position. She wouldn't want to lay down while trying to defend herself.

"I swear I saw someone." The voice was thick and almost pushy as if he were trying to convince someone that she existed. They walked into the bathroom and looked around. One reached out and grabbed the curtain. When the shower curtain was pulled aside Kate pushed forward. The knife struck flesh and deep. The pirate made a god awful gurgling noise as he fell. The knife was deep in his chest. The second pirates grabbed Kate by the arm and back handed her into the sink. She back peddled and ended on on the floor next to the bed.

"You lousy wench!" He yelled. Kate got to her feet faster then she even thought she couldn't. She ran toward the door, it was all she could do now that her kitchen knife was embedded in someone's chest in her bathroom. She screamed feeling the man grab her shirt. It tore as he pulled her back. She hit the floor hard. Her ankle just wasn't allowing her to move fast at all. It stung like it was on fire.

The pirate hit the floor. Kate looked bewildered at him, honestly wondered if he had a heart attack for a second. Then she looked up to see Echo standing there.

"Echo?" She thought she was seeing things, or perhaps she was dead and was seeing him because she wanted to see him so much.

"Yes Kate its me." He said holding out his hand for her. She reached out and lightly took it and gasped seeing her shirt, and pants were covered in blood. Echo looked her over.

"Are you injured?" He asked his voice was showing signs of distress. He began to scan her.

"No no...I got knocked around a little but I…" Her face grew pale and she began to shake. Echo was by her side in a moment looking into her eyes.

"I...I killed him. This is his blood…" She slowly turned around to look at the man laying on the floor in her bathroom. Echo stopped her from looking and held her close.

"It wasn't your fault Kate. He attacked you, and you defended yourself." He said running his hand down her back.

"But...But I killed him."

Zane ran into the room having heard her scream earlier and looked inside seeing Kate and Echos arms.

"Come brother we need to get back. Their is a ship coming through here." Zane said. Echo picked Kate up and walked her toward the door. Zane was about to tell him that she could walk on her own, but then seen what had happened in the apartment and reached into the closet and grabbed another shirt before running back out with his brother.

"Where are we going?" Echo asked his brother. Zane looked both ways before running back down an alleyway.

"The hospital. Lloyd called and told us to meet up there."

"Has Jay woken?"

"No not just yet I'm afraid." Zane said looking at Echo.

"What then brother?" Echo said looking down at the woman in his arms and moved the hair out of her face. She looked completely exhausted now that her panic attack was over.

"I'm alright now." She whispered to him putting her head back on his chest. She was getting used to being like this.

"It would seem Lloyd wishes to head to the docks once we are back together. Try to get the pirates away from the city." One of the lasers shot a pirate ship that got to close. Pixal was using the remote relays to guide the defense systems. The ship blew up showering them with debris. Echo covered Kate with his frame while Zane did the same with his brother.

A loud explosion shook their frames. Out of the corner of Kates eyes she could see a large blue and golden tank.

"Are you three alright?!" It was Kais voice, but the body was different.

"Samurai X!" Zane said surprised. Echo gasped seeing the person on top of the tank.

"I'll escort you to the hospital. She can ride up here with me." Samurai X held out their hand to take Kates. Echo looked at them and shook his head.

"I am grateful for you saving us, but I'm afraid I don't know who you are and I do not trust you." He said running ahead. Zane looked surprised at this and wondered if what had just happened had spooked his brother far more than he had thought.

"Likes her does he?" The voice was still Kais. Zane sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes I think he does." Zane said following his brother. Every so often the tank would fire at the ships that got to close.

Echo could see the smile on Kates face. Her face was blushed, and she would occasionally take tiny looks at him. Now that his sensors were fixed he could see that she was blushing.

"Would you like me to put you down? You seem embarrassed by physical contact with me." He said. Kate seemed to grip tighter onto him for a moment and then let him go.

"I'm okay with it either way." She said and held on for a moment while he put her down. Yet when he did so she kept her arms where they were. Her eyes kept contact with his.

"Wow...your eyes are so much more brighter."

"Yes they fixed me good as new. Even the glass over my power source." He said not looking away from her. "I um…" He cleared his throat and kept walking. Kate kept walking alongside him only limping a little. Much to Kates fascination and thrill Echo put his hand in hers. He looked at her sideways and squeezed her hand. She blushed again and looked back forward.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Authors Notes: Uh oh...now what?!**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 11**_

 ** _Out_**

Delphina looked down at the civilians running around and sighed as if she loved the view so much. She leaned over putting her head in her hands.

"Isn't that a beautiful sound Roxburry?" She asked a pirate that walked by. He leaned over the railing and chuckled to himself.

"Look like ants don't they?" He asked no one in particular.

"Do you suppose we killed those ninja yet? We must have blown up three different hospitals." She asked him.

"What if they never came into ninjago city though Ma'em?" Another pirate asked looking around. "There are a few little towns too with hospitals."

"Perhaps, but none with the ability to help someone with that sort of wound." Delphine giggled and bit her pinky nail in fascination. "Looks like we'll just have to destroy them all." She said showing off her horribly cared for teeth.

"As you wish ma'am."

* * *

Echo watched as nurses raced this way and that the power had been turned off to the whole city after the power station had been blown up. Kate stood just behind him, and Zane behind her insuring the limping woman wasn't hurt in the rush. The went to the staircase and found that it was crowded by people evacuating. Word had gotten to them that hospitals had been their main target.

"They're looking for us aren't they?" Kate asked slightly afraid of the answer. Zane moved around another gurny.

"I am afraid they are looking for us. We did survive their little water game thanks to you two. But I'm afraid the only way to survive now is to defeat them."

"How are we going to do that?" Echo asked opening the door on the fifth floor. He and Zane seemed like they were winded by the run, but Kate was not only winded but her foot hurt again.

"That is what Lloyd will tell us once we get to the room."

"But what about Jay? We can't leave him here on his own." Kate said gasping as she was pushed against the wall by Zane who was knocked aside by a gurney.

"Brother." Echo raced back to help his brother from the floor.

"I'm alright." He said taking his brothers hand. Kate looked over him and narrowed her eyes.

"Zane...you didn't have Borg fix you!"

This was news to Echo since Zane looked fine to him.

"You still have a few cracks that your hiding with your Gi!" She reached forward and pulled his Gi aside. Their were in fact a few more cracks that could be seen under her fingers. Echo looked at his brother and shook his head.

"Brother why didn't you ask Borg to fix you too?" He asked him, Zane shook his head with regret.

"I wanted you fixed first." He answered. "You matter more to me than myself." Echo wasn't too sure how to take this. He had never been cared for in such a way before.

"Zane…" He started only to feel the building sway from an explosion.

"Come on lets not worry about that now. We need to get to the others." Kate said and limped toward the room where Jay had been placed.

"Come on to the roof!" Lloyd yelled running past them. "Nya and Kai are already up there, we'll try to get them away from the city."

Cole was carrying Jay who was awake, but very pale still. Zane smiled down at the blue ninja who just smiled back.

"I was told to stay quiet." He said.

"Yeah a whole lot of good that's done." Cole said running up the stairs. Even carrying Jay wasn't much of an effort to him.

"How do you feel Jay?" Echo asked his friend. Jay smiled weakly at him and shook his head.

"Weak, and tired."

"You can rest when we get back on the Bounty." Cole told his friend in his arms. Kate smiled knowing he'd be okay with Cole. That man had a lot of love for his friends, even if they did get on his nerves a lot.

Kate looked around them as they ran. A few days ago she was alone dying on a sinking ship, two days ago she was accepting a job on another island, and four days ago she was quitting her job with her father. She honestly thought that would have been it. She never planned to do anything except the boring history she had learned to do in college. Today as explosions shook the ground around her she was surrounded by people she would honestly except as her friends. She barely even knew them and their was one running up stairs with her hand in his. He wasn't even human, and she didn't want to be anywhere else even if her life was in danger. She wanted nothing else but to be there with them.

Kai stood at the top of the stairs yelling for them to hurry. The Bounty sat on the top with a tarp over it. Nya looked back over toward the others and waved to them.

"Come on we need to hurry or they'll catch us. They've already started shooting at us trying to get us to show ourselves."

"How come they can't see us? That's a pretty bright tarp."

"Its one of Borgs tarps. It maskes us to cameras kind of like a green screen." Nya said pushing a button watching the Tarp get pulled into the boat. Kate was amazed at such a notion that something like that could exist. She was impressed.

"Strap Jay in and lets get going." Kai said throwing a seatbelt to Kate who latched it and pulled it tightly. Echo put a blanket over Jay and reclined his seat a little.

"You comfortable enough." Nya asked putting her hand on his flushed cheek. He nodded his head and leaned into her hand.

Lloyd had his hand on the wheel and Zane pushed the button. The ship took off into the air and flew deeper into Ninjago.

"Where are we going Lloyd?"

"There's a jungle my dad took us to when the overlord was trying to get to me."

"Oh you mean the one they found you in?"

"Well yeah, but it's thick, and easy to hide. It's all we got unless you got a better idea." Lloyd said looking around. No one had any other answers.

"But dude...you said no one got out alive...what if we'd…" Kai said afraid for them.

"Your talking to someone who got out alive Kai." Lloyd laughed and felt the ship rock this way and that.

"Are they following us?" Lloyd called to the bottom deck.

"Looks like it." Cole yelled. "Eight ships are heading our way Lloyd and there's one right on our tail."

"Recommend evasive maneuvering." Zane yelled from the back. They had made it to the tree line next to the ocean. Trying to make it look like they were going to go back out to sea. Just as soon as the ship made it within firing range they changed direction and headed into the canyons. Their ship was easily more maneuverable than theirs had. Finally the Bounty broke free of the cavern into the jungle lining the ocean again. This was the jungle Lloyd had talked about.

But try as they might. Delphine's ship waited for them, having been in this area before themselves. The ship fired on the Bounty and the ship crashed into the treeline.

Delphine smiled at her triumph, she watched the Bounty hit the trees and disappear from view through the canopy.

"Go collect the bodies and kill any of them you find. But I want their bodies. I want to show Ninjago that their heroes are no more." Delphine called through the radio to all her ships.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Authors Notes: Broke my glasses again. I need to stop being rough lol**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 12**_

 _ **Jungle**_

Kate woke up with a metallic taste in her mouth. Her head hurt a whole lot more than it did earlier that day. She knew someone was holding her, and that familiar ticking noises as all she heard. But there was an odd whirring noise too. She took a deep breath, letting as much air as she could into her lungs. Why did that hurt so much to do?" She opened her eyes for a moment and closed them again. The sun was so bright through the trees. She opened them again to see Echo walking through the trees. It all seemed like it was going in slow motion, her brain didn't want to work properly. She looked a little past him to see his brother. There was damage to him, she could see it, but she wasn't to sure how extensive it was. All she knew was it was hot and her throat was dry. Her head lollied back down to Echos shoulder.

"Kate?" Echo asked, but Kate didn't answer, she couldn't get her mind to wrap around a cognate word.

"Is she awake?" Zanes voice could be heard through the cotton swab brain of Kates.

"Her eyes opened for a moment." Echo said. His brother walked around him and ran his hand over her forehead.

"She's still hot. We need to find some water for her fast or she probably won't wake up at all." Zane said trying to scan the area, but he still couldn't. "Pixal?" He called out attempting to get her to help. But Pixal wasn't answering.

"Still not there?" Echo asked his brother who swayed a little and held onto a tree.

"No…" He steadied himself again.

"What about the others?" Echo asked. Zane shook his head.

"I'm afraid I do not know either." He said and used his Katana to cut down the branch in front of him. "Once we hit ground we scattered per Lloyds instructions. I know some of us were injured. I saw Cole take Jay and that was all I saw."

"I think Lloyds arm was broken. He was holding it to his chest as he ran." Echo said and shook his head. His eyes locked on Kates face. "If I had hold of her better she wouldn't have hit the wall the way she did."

"Don't blame yourself brother. We hit harder than planned." Zane said and stopped pushing his brother behind a tree and hid inside a bush. A few pirates ran by.

Echo held Kate close to him hoping she didn't make any noise. The pirates were out of view quick almost like they had somewhere to go.

"Their camp must be close by here. We keep seeing them." Zane said motioning for Echo to follow him off trail. They didn't want to be seen.

"That means they have water." Echo gasped falling to his knees. Zane stepped forward putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Do you wish to rest?" Zane asked him. Echo shook his head. Adjusting Kate a bit so he could get back up.

"N...No I'm fine."

"Brother that leg will give out soon. We must find shelter. We'll have to find some way to fix it." He looked around and stopped. He touched his audio for a moment trying to turn up to volume.

"This way." he said motioning to his brother. Echo nodded following Zane to their left going off trail. The nindroid attempted to use the katana as a cane. After about ten minutes they came to a small stream. Zane reached out touching the water and then nodded his head.

"It's fresh water." He said motioning for his brother to sit down. Echo walked over to the water's edge and looked down at Kate.

"Kate...water." He said laying Kate on his lap using one arm to brace her. He used his other hand to cup some water up to her mouth. He let a little slide into her mouth. He didn't want to put a lot in her mouth for fear of her not swallowing. She however did drink the water slowly. Echo filled his hand back up with the water and looked at his brother who was smiling at him. It wasn't a brother type smile, it was more like 'I know something you don't' kind of smile.

"Brother?" Echo asked Zane just shrugged his shoulders and watched his brother give his 'friend' more water. She coughed a little before opening her eyes a little. Her tiny hand came up and held Echos hand as it poured more water into her mouth. After a moment she put her head back on his shoulder.

"We'll wait here for a moment." Zane said putting his feet into the water.

"What...happened?" The very low voice asked. Echo looked down as he leaned back against the tree.

"The Bounty was shot down." Echo said. Kate gasped looking around and fell back against Echo again. She wasn't ready for that much movement.

"It's alright. Everyone's alive." Zane said and scooted over to his brother. He leaned back against the tree closing his eyes.

"Zane...we can't go to sleep. Its not safe." Echo said nudging his brother.

"Just a little…?" Zanes eyes were closing on their own.

"Zane…" Echo reached out and tried to shake his brother. "Wake up." Echo looked down at Kate who was once again unconscious. Echo sighed letting his own head rest against Kates. He had been fighting sleep himself for some time now. He had been awake now for close to 38 hours. So had Kate. Perhaps a little nap?

* * *

Cole had grabbed Jay as the Bounty hit ground. They bounced around the Bounties deck for a few moments before falling through the observation window. Jay was awake luckily, he wasn't talking to much which told Cole he didn't feel to good. He kept running through the woods. He tried to keep his strides even so he wouldn't bounce so much. He knew perfectly well that Jay was probably feeling everything as they did. Cole paused for a moment to catch his breath. His hand went up to Jays forehead for a moment before going again. He stopped for a moment and pulled out a small orange and white bottle. He pulled a pile out and handed it to Jay.

"Its hotter than your chili out here." Jay said taking the water bottle from Cole. They had found a small stream not to long back. Cole helped Jay hold the bottle since his hand was still kind of shaky.

"Yeah it is." He said looking around and jumped hearing something he didn't want to.

" We found three of them Cap!" One of the pirates yelled. Cole hid Jay in some bushes and leaned over him trying to use his black Gi to hide the bright blue.

"Oh no…" Cole whispered.

"What?" Jay asked trying to see over the black ninja.

"They have Zane...and his brother." Cole said seeing them pulling the nindroids along. Echo kept trying to fight back and calling for Kate. Kate on the other hand was thrown over the shoulder of another pirate.

"Are they alright?" Jay asked

"I don't think so...Zane doesn't seem to be moving and neither does Kate."

"Echo is smart, he'll take care of them." Jay told Cole having a lot more experience with the bronze nindroid than anyone else save for Nya.

"We gotta find the others. We have to save them." Cole said walking toward where his gut told him to go.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Authors Notes: Out a little early today since I just had this chapter stuck in my head. Whoooo here we go :D**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 13**_

 _ **No End**_

The sun was setting now, and the sky changed to a bright orange color causing everything around the jungle to change color too. Even the shadows looked red.

Lloyd looked around him, He was trying to make rope out of the vines. He needed to make one at last two yards long for what he was planning, but doing so with one arm wasn't very helpful. Luckily it was just dislocated. He rammed his shoulder into a tree pushing it back into place. He took the vine he had made and swung it around his neck and tied one end to his wrist and the other to his forearm. It was a makeshift sling. He wasn't to sure if it would last the night since it was so poorly made but it would have to do.

Lloyd sat back against the tree for a moment taking in his surroundings. He could hear the clank of weapons or tools really close by. Those were defiantly not his ninja. They were far more quiet then that.

He saw a red blurr go by. He adjusted himself to hide farther in the bushes. He peaked through and spotted someone that caused him to smile.

"Kai…" He whispered just enough for the ninja to hear him. Kai turned to see Lloyd leaning against the tree. Lloyd was able to see him better. Their was a large gash across the red ninjas chest. Nya stopped short to see Lloyd too. She sighed visibly and looked him over.

"Your okay." She said she seemed to be visibly alright but it did look like she'd have a black eye.

"Yeah fell on my arm wrong though." He said showing his makeshift sling. "But Kai…" He said pointing to his chest. He could see the muscle through the skin.

"Yeah one of the wires to the mast came up and snagged me after it broke. Saw it in slow motion, it looked pretty cool till I realized what had happened." He looked proud of his new wound. Him and his scars.

"Nya you're going to end up with a shiner I'm sorry to say." Lloyd said touching the side of her cheek. Nya sighed and nodded.

"My brothers elbow did that one." She said and shrugged her shoulders. Lloyd just chuckled

"Did you see the others?"

"No dude when you told us to scatter I took Nyas hand and ran." Kai said looking at his sister who looked a little worried. Lloyd knew why. She was worried about Jay.

" All I remember seeing was you running off in the other direction. I wasn't to s…" Lloyd was nearly barreled over by Cole as he ran. Lloyd fell forward into Kai and Nya.

"Jay!" Nya yelled with him now in her arms.

"Not so tight…" He said in pain.

"Sorry…" She said kissing his forehead. "Better?" She asked. Jay just smiled wistfully.

"Yeah…"

"Alright you two get off…" Kai grumbled from the bottom.

Nya helped Jay stand up, he held his midsection and gasped when Cole picked him back up.

"Dude you don't g…"

"I just don't want to lose anyone else alright? You scared us." Cole said walking over to the water and pulled out his water bottle.

"Cole?" Lloyd asked holding out his hand for the water bottle. He knew it wouldn't be easy to fill it up while holding Jay.

"I think us losing Master Wu hit him the hardest.' Kai said to Nya who nodded her head.

"They have Zane, Echo, and Kate." Jay said running his hand over his face trying to get rid of the sweat that was beading up on his face. Nya looked up when Nya pulled out a handkerchief and blotted his head.

"What are we going to do Lloyd?" Jay asked taking a drink from his water bottle before handing it to Nya.

"Well obviously we'll have to save them. We need to find somewhere safe to hide till Nightfall."

"Aww yeah we get to be ninja!" Jay said. Lloyd thumped Jays nose.

"Except you."

"Daww." Jay rubbed his nose

* * *

"Kate!" Her name...that was her name wasn't it? Thats all she could hear for a little while. She then heard the loud clanking noise. It was pretty insistent. She slowly opened her eyes to see that she had been thrown unceremoniously on the floor of a cell. Across from her was the cell where she saw Echo in. He was banging on the bars. He was on his knees crying out for her and his brother. Kate felt something heavy on her legs. She slowly moved to see Zanes leg was on top of hers and realized very quickly that she was also laying on top of his arm. She slowly sat up and moved out from under him or on top of. It was like they were both shoved into one another. She leaned against the bars and looked at Echo. His ramblings had stopped when he saw her moving. Her head still throbbed greatly. She reached up to feel her head and realized that their was a large gash on her temple.

"Echo…" Her voice was weak and her tongue felt fat.

"Shhhh." He reached out to her. She reached out to him. All she could feel was his finger tips. She let her had fall back down and she looked around at Zane. Her movements must have woke up. His head moved to the side allowing for her to see that he must have gotten hit over the head.

"Are you alright." Kate said taking his hand. He nodded his head and looked around the room. He sat up and looked at the door. It was expertly build they wouldn't have a hope of getting out of there.

"Echo are you alright?" He asked knelling down to look over Kates wound. It had reopened in the struggle. Her shirt he had retrieved for her from her closet (Or what was left of it) was now bloody on one side from the gash. The shirt she had vacated was wrapped around Echos leg attempting to keep it together. Oil was leaking from one side.

"Is she alright? They tore her from me, and she fell." Echo asked worried.

"Why don't you just tell the lady that you love her." A guys voice echoed down the hallway.

"Oh no…" Zane grumbled looking through the bars at the familiar brown mop on Ronins head.

"Who is that?" Echo whispered to his brother.

"Ronin...a sneak theif. Also responsible for kidnapping myself and Pixal and giving us over to Master Chen where Chen nearly off-lined Pixal."

"Oh you don't remember the second time too? I hacked you and turned you into the authorities." Ronin said. Echo shook his head not really liking this Ronin guy.

"I do not recall that time." Zane said glaring. "But thank you for reminding me."

"Echo?" Kate looked back up at him. She looked so tired to him. "We need to get back. Jays hurt. You...you gotta." She swallowed hard and then started to cough.

"She don't sound good tincan. The hell happened to you all?" Ronin said sounding genuinely worried for them. Zane sat back pulling Kate onto his shoulder. Seeing as this was his brothers new girlfriend he was taking it onto himself to take care of her for him.

"Bounty...we crashed the Bounty after being shot down. Jays been shot, and Im sure mine and my brothers wounds are...fatal if we do not get help soon." Zane said looking at him.

"The others are on their way right? They can save you?" Ronin asked looking at something in his shirt.

"How much?" Zane asked. Ronin looked over his shoulder and smiled.

"You act like its always money for me." He said. Zane shook his head.

"It is...or you could always call this a personal favor to get back in my good graces." Zane said feeling Kates weight increase on his shoulder. She must have been falling back asleep again.

"Kate...I need you to stay awake." He whispered to her. Kate mumbled something, and jumped when she felt him pinch her hand. "Apologize Kate...but I had to get you to stay awake."

"Ouch…" She looked at her hand. It was rather red now. She looked up at Echo, he was leaning back against the wall now. His eyes were still on her.

"Echo?" She called to him. "Echo…" She thought about something, and honestly that something didn't want to come out so she had to force it past the cotton balls and Vaseline in her head. "You're perfect. The rust, the gears, your heart."

"I do not have a heart Kate." He smiled and threw a piece of dried mud at him.

"You may not have a physical heart Echo...but you have more heart then these people do." Kate watched him for a moment thinking perhaps he had fallen asleep. But he slowly sat up to look her in the eyes.

"You're beautiful." He whispered. Kate didn't expect that sort of response. She blushed and looked back down at herself.

"Not right now I'm not...I look horrid...I'm caked in blood. I'm sure I have bruises e…"

"You are...beautiful Kate." Echo said letting a small smile show. "Now please...rest. We can talk about this stuff when we're free."

"Alright sparkplug...heres my plan." Ronin said with a smile.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Authors Notes: Whoooo this is the longest chapter I did for this fic. Your all probably like 'Daww its almost over now.' Pfft ha!**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 14**_

 _ **Mine or Yours**_

Echo had sat there his head against the bars watching his love sitting with his brother. He tore his pant leg and wrapped it around Kates head trying to stop the bleeding. The heat of the jungle wasn't helping the blood to clot all that well. She was sitting back against the wall half asleep half awake. Every so often taking little peaks at Echo, and then looking back at the door. Eventually her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

"Zane...your brothers got the hots for her. He hasn't stopped staring at her all this time." Ronin said from where he was sitting against the bars.

"Hots?" Both brothers asked at the same time. Ronin slapped his forehead.

"Yeah he loves her." Ronin said.

"I do not know what you are talking about Ronin. I only just met her a week ago." Echo turned away from his view. Which was horrible since he could no longer see Kate.

"I seen people fall in love at first sight." Ronin said and shrugged. "I mean have you met Jay and Nya?" Ronin said and looked at Zane who shrugged and nodded.

"So...this is what's going on between those two?" A voice came from the top of the stairs.

"Oh no look it's her highness princess I want everything." Ronin rolled his eyes and bowed to the Captain.

"Oh come now brother are you still angry that I got everything in our parents will?" She asked. Ronin grumbled and turned around. "Oh you are…I gave you Rex did I not?"

"Yeah then you stole him back." Ronin dismissed this notion.

"You were trying to steal from me brother."

"Stop calling me that!" He barked.

"But it is what you are to me." She said.

"A family of thieves...how...predictable." Kate said from where she sat. "Read a few books like that."

"So she lives? I heard there's a minor infatuation between yourself and the bronze robot there." The Captain knelled down in front of her.

"Your mistaken." Kate said. Echo turned to look at Kate. "I only just met him a week ago. Besides...who could ever love me." Kate looked sadly down at her shoes. The heals one had been broken off. Probably in the crash. She grabbed the other and broke it off too and threw it into the corner.

"Kate…" Echos voice said from his little corner in his cell. "You mean you've never felt loved before?" He asked.

"Like I told you...my father wasn't a good man. He pretended I didn't exist...and my mom dead. She died giving birth to me." Kate said playing with a piece of hay.

"Oh poor little thing. I'll show you some love." The captain opened the door and grabbed Kate by the hair. Zane ran forward to protect Kate but he was kicked to the side easily.

"No don't touch her. Let her go!" Echo yelled reaching through the bars grabbing Kate's hand. Kate held onto it. The Captains eyes locked onto Echo and she pulled her pistol from her belt.

"You either let go robot or she'll die." The gun was pressed against Kate's hair. Echos eyes grew wide seeing the gun and his loves head.

"Please...no." He said reaching out to try to pull the gun away.

"Let...her go." Delphina said to the nindroid once more.

"Kate…I'm sorry." He let go reluctantly. Tears sliding down his bronzed cheeks.

"Its okay Echo...I'll be okay. Don't worry about me." Kate was pulled up the stairs, and thrown into another room. Kate was sat down on a chair and a light was turned on over her head. Her makeshift bandage on her forehead was pulled off forcefully and it began to bleed anew. Kate flinched and looked around at the Captain who picked up a wet cloth and dabbed at her wound.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked trying to push her hand away.

"Do you want this fixed or not?" She asked. Kate looked at her bewildered and nodded her head for a second wondering just what that little bit of hospitality was.

"So you've only known them for a week huh? How did that happen?" Small talk, Kate knew what was going on. She read enough books. But she played into it anyways. Her head was killing her so she didn't want to argue.

"Shipwrecked. I ended up on Echos island. He rescued me." The Captain nodded her head having heard reports of said ship.

"I see...so it's a bit of the knight in shining armor that has you all a flutter then hum?" Delphina said when Kate gasped apparently not what she was expecting Delphina to say.

"No not at all, and we told you...we aren't in love."

"Says the person blushing so red she could be mistaken for an apple." Delphina laughed pulling Kate back up and walking back out. There was a small bandage on her forehead. She had just glued it together and put gauze over it.

"Come on I'm sure your hungry." She said and pushed her into the Captains quarters. It was true she hadn't eaten since she was on the Bounty earlier the morning before. When she entered the room she realized just what she saw. The table was full of many different foods. The smells were perfect, and they steamed perfectly. From roast pig down to turkey. Yet as she looked at it she realized that Echo and Zane were down in the brig starving. Well she wasn't sure if Zane ate but she knew Echo did.

"Aren't you hungry?" Delphina said looking at her with solid interest. Kate looked up at her and just nodded her head and backed up toward the door again. "What's wrong? It's not poisoned if that what you think." She stepped forward picking up a cherry tomato and ate it."

"It's not that ma'am. Its...well it's the others."

"Well if you don't love him, why does it matter? No man should matter that much over your own survival."

"What about Ronin? He's your brother. Aren't you going to let him have some?"

"My brother chose his own fate!" She barked and held out an apple. "Now eat it…"

"No...No thank you." Kate said backing away from Delphina backing into the door.

"Either eat it...or else." This was getting a bit to pushy. Why was Delphina trying to force her to eat. Now Kate really didn't want to eat anything. Delphinas smile broke and she threw the apple at Kate. "Then your boyfriend dies!" Delphina screamed opening the door and pushed Kate into one of her pirates arms. "Tie her to the mast and bring the bronze robot outside. We're going to have a little fun!" She said seeing Kate being tied to the mast struggling with the pirates tying her up.

A few moments later Echo was pulled up the stairs and out onto the deck. He looked around spotting Kate. He thrashed around trying to get away from her.

"Go ahead...go on over to her." Delphina said A large circle of pirates began to encircle them. Echo noticed and hugged Kate to him. Thats when he noticed that she was tied to the mast.

"Alright Kate." The name was spat. Kate looked up at the Captain trying to be as obedient as she could now that Echo was there. She knew what was coming. Anything she could to to help Echo was what she wanted to do. "No pressure or anything. But since the bronze robots about to die in front of you. Is their anything you might want to confess to him?" She asked pulling out a sword and looked at Kate. Echo glared at the Captain.

"I'm not afraid of you. Do what you will to me, but I promise you my brother and his ninja friends will not take to lightly to these threats to an innocent woman." He tried to be intimidating. Standing to his full height.

"Echo…" The words were spoken so lightly that Echo almost didn't catch it. "Ever since I was a little girl I was told countless times by my father that no one...no one would ever love me, I was to ordinary, boring, and I had my head stuck in a book most of my life." She said looking up into Echos eyes. He knelled down in front of her so she didn't have to talk so loud. He could see the tears in her eyes,

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Kate."

"But Echo...this is the first week that I have ever put my book down and not want to pick it up because what I see is pure fairy tale." She said with a smile on her face. "Echo...you are all I have ever wanted. You see me, and you don't see the book, or how boring I am, or how ugly my hair is."

"Kate I told you that you are beautiful."

"No one has ever said I was beautiful except you Echo. Don't you see?"

"Kate I…" Echo was pulled down to into a very soft tender kiss. Echo pulled back and touched his lips. His eyes were wide and he didn't believe it at first. He only ever read about this sort of thing in books. Normally it was between couples who loved each other very much and ended up getting married in the end.

"I love you Echo." Kate said more tears sliding down her face. Echo reached out trailing his fingers to stop the tears. His ticking heart ticked faster then normal.

"And I'm sorry…" Kate sniffled trying to wipe her cheek on her shoulder.

"Sorry?" Echo asked surprised at the words.

"Like I said...who could possibly love me?" Echo shook his head realizing that the girl in front of him thought he didn't want her. Echo tried twice to form words that could help. Something heartfelt, something worthy of such a beautiful woman, but nothing came out. Nothing could be said. So he leaned forward cupping her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Both his tears and hers mixing together until they finally pulled apart. Echo kept her head in his hands as he put his forehead to hers.

"Love you." He whispered


	15. Chapter 15

_**Authors Notes: There now we know who she is, and how to beat her :D**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 15**_

 _ **Broken**_

To Echo the skin of the woman in his arms was so much softer then he had imagined. Specially her lips. He had never been kissed by anyone before, and this was nowhere near how he had imagined it. Nor did he ever imagine someone could ever love him like this. However tender, however beautiful it might have been to feel. The reality of the whole thing came back to them both in a great painful moment. Echo felt someones boot hit his midsection in a painful jerk.

Kate let out a scream having heard the kick, but not seeing it. Echo went up a few feet with a gross half yell half choke sound. He sat on his knees a few feet away from Kate now which was the distance the kick had created. His hands on his midsection trying to intact some air to ease the pain. He tried crawling back over the Kate, but someone grabbed his arm and forcefully pulled him in the center of the circle.

Kate gasped seeing several people begin to throw things at Echo. Just random things they could find. Bottles smashed against this bronze structure. Cutlery clanked against him, along with a few other choice things found on the ground and in pockets. Mostly things that had already been thrown moments ago. Echo mostly just recoiled on himself as the things dinged against his form.

"Stop it!" Kate yelled and thrashed around trying to get the ropes from her arms. The ropes did nothing but dig into her skin and rip it. She kept trying despite the pain.

With Kates outburst caused a retaliation from one of the other pirates. One would over and began to kick him again.

"Stand and fight tin can!" he yelled. Echo grunted and did as was told. He stood up and put his arms up. Everyone else except that pirate pulled back. The pirate kicked up catching Echos poised elbow. Echo punched out trying to catch the surprisingly fast pirate. Both pulled back and starred at one another. The Captain just smiled as they kept trading blows.

"You can stop this you know?" The Captain said smiling down at Kate. Kate jumped not realizing she was there.

"Stop this...how?" Gasping seeing Echo get kicked in the chest plate. He went down and the pirate ran forward taking the opportunity and continued to hit and kick Echo.

"Stop it how?"

"Become one of us, and we'll take good care of your lover boy. I read that you were one of the smart ones on that ship."

"Please stop them." Kate pleaded trying to get the Captain to do it.

"Swear your soul to me." The Captain said looking into Kates eyes.

* * *

"You mean she isn't your sister by blood?" Zane asked pressing himself as much as he could into the metal bars to catch his brothers movements. He could see him sometimes as they fought. He could hear Kates pleading voice. Even the confession was heard by him and his perfect ears.

"No moreover shes a machine created by my father to collect life force. He was hell bent on living forever. So she either collects your body and spits back out your soul creating an obedient and mindless worker for her. All these people on this boat are her mind slaves. Hell bent on doing anything and everything for her." Ronin said finishing with the lock and ran over to Zanes cage.

"So Kates in danger."

"They both are kid. I daren't say that Echo has more of a soul then most humans do." Ronin said looking on at the door hoping no one looked behind them at the prisoners.

"So what if…" Zane jumped seeing one of the men look downstairs. Ronin had leaned backwards and try to hide under the stairs.

"Come on Zane...we need to put this plan into motion before all hell breaks loose."

* * *

Kate kept watching as Echo got hit in the chest. He fell on his hands and knees spitting oil on the deck.

"Its for him...isn't it?" Echo slowly looked up at Kate who looked at Delphina and nodded her head.

"For him…" She said softly in a defeated tone.

"Hold him down! He needs to know just what his girlfriend is doing for him. Love...is not a fairy tale." Delphina said waiting for them to hold him.

"Echo…" Kate tried to talk, but was hushed by him. He shook his head.

"Now you see...I ask this of all my prisoners. Do you wish to join my crew. Kate has obliged...in order to save her love. How sweet." Delphina grabbed Echos chin and shook hit.

"Kate you don't have to I'm fine…"

"They're killing you Echo." Kate said shaking her head at him. "I can't...I can't let that happen. Not when I finally found you."

"Oh how touching." Delphina knelled down and looked Kate in the eyes. "Now what I meant when I said pledge your soul to me...I meant it." She said looking sideways at Echo. "She may have given you her heart, but that doesn't matter anymore...when her soul is in someone elses hands. Love means nothing without one.

Echos eyes grew wide looking at Kate in Delphinas hands.

"No!" He watched Delphina force Kates face up to hers. "No! Don't touch her! Leave her alone!"Echo tried as he might trying to pull away from the other pirates was fruitless.

"Say goodbye." Delphina whispered opening her mouth. It honestly to Kates ears it sounded like a reverse scream.

An explosion echoed throughout the valley from just bellow the ship. Delphina stopped and ran to the side of the ship and looked down. Their whole camp was on fire. She saw colorful blurs racing around the camp. She growled and looked at her men.

"Get down there and kill them!" She barked at her men.

Echo crawled forward taking Kates face in his hands. She made a soft scream thinking it was Delphina back to finish the job. Echo looked her in the eyes they looked so dim to him.

"Kate talk to me." He whispered hearing her panting. He put her head on his shoulder reaching back and pulling on the rope. Echo jumped feeling someones hands on the small of his back. He jumped and threw a punch behind him connecting with metal. He looked back seeing his brother. It wasn't a hard punch since he was so exhausted.

"Brother her...she's...I can't get her loose." He said and looked at Ronin who ran around and used a knife to cut the rope.

"Looks like she didn't finish the job. Kates still there, she's just in a lot of pain. Her souls been split in two."

"Is there a way to save her?" Echo asked.

"We gotta kill the witch that has her soul, they should piece back together, also releasing her entire army of incredibly loyal idiots." He said looking at his so called sister.

"So thats how she has so many people at her command."

"Here give her to me. You both look horrible." Ronin said holding out his arms. Zane looked defensive. Ronin put up his hands. "Hey its your choice not mine."

"If you hurt her…"

"It would be a vast improvement to her predicament right now. Come on...The ninja can't hold them off for long." Ronin said running over to a Skive and turned on the motor.

"Get in." He said taking Kate and laying her down on the bottom. Echo crawled in and pulled Kates body mostly onto his. Zane sat just behind his brother to brace him knowing her was in a lot of pain from his fight with that pirate. "Hang onto her." Ronin told Echo. Echo leaned over her and looked her in the eyes again. They once were a beautiful grass green, now they just looked like moss green. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. She made a noise like she was trying to say something, but nothing of value came out.

"Kate?" Echo whispered pulling her closer up onto him. Her back was against his chest. He leaned her head back so she could breath better.

"I can't…" She started off, but just gasped for air again.

"Its alright you don't have to speak." Echo said feeling the force of the Skive pulling away from another ship and turning roughly.

"Hang on!" He yelled Zane leaned over his brother and new sister trying to protect them. They hit the tree line and landed less roughly then Zane thought they would. "Come on…" He yelled taking Kate from Echo and running into the woods. It was darker now since it was night. They kept running until they heard a loud.

"Hey Zane!" Zane turned to see Jay waving at them from behind a group of trees.

"I thought you said he was shot."

"I thought you were dead." Jay grumbled going back to hide hiding spot which was behind a waterfall. "What happened to Kate?" He asked seeing her in Ronins arms.

"Delphina tried to suck her soul out. We need to destroy her at all costs." Echo said sitting back against the wall and looked over Kate who was placed next to her. She slowly looked around at Echo. She reached out touching his hand. She let out a labored sob.

In Kates mind their were a lot of thoughts missing, or thoughts she wanted to have but couldn't for some reason. It was like they would start and then stop again. The one thought that kept happening was that of Echo. She loved him, she knew she did, but she couldn't remember why. Why did she love this nindroid sitting next to him. Their had to be a reason right? She was a rational thinker and she always had been. Yet when she tried to shake those thoughts of loving some random guy away he would do something that would please her. Like run his fingers over her face, or say something she couldn't quite comprehend. But it would be the way he said it to her. She loved the light kisses on the cheek or forehead.

God she was tired though. But every time she closed her eyes he would lean over and tell her he loved her and never to forget that. She would open her eyes and try to smile at him. It was the one thing she was holding onto. Those words, that voice, the touch, even the thought that she did love him too.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Authors Notes: So now we know what happened to Ronins parents.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 16**_

 _ **Soul Sucker**_

On into the night pirates would run past the waterfall where the ninja were hiding. No fire was lit, and the food that was eaten was cold. Much to Echos discontent he wanted to at least give Kate something warm to eat. She felt so cold to him, and every time Zane scanned her her temperature was lower than normal. Apparently a soul is warm. Echo wrapped himself protectively around Kate as the night drew on and it grew cold.

The other ninja arrived back at their hiding place sooner into the morning after loosing the other pirates. Lloyd looked on at Kate asking Zane what happened. The explanation was quick, and the reaction expected. Nya walked over to Jay and checked his wound. She shook her head and pulled at his Gi. Jay sat up long enough for her to pull off his Gi and pull off the bandages. Ronin gasped pulling something out of his pack and handed it to Nya.

"Here this will help heal it faster. I use it all the time for myself." He said. Nya reluctantly took it and looked at Zane who scanned it. He nodded his head and gestured for her to go ahead.

"What are you doing here Ronin?" Nya asked. Ronin shrugged his shoulders and pointed outside.

"Want some backstory for me? Fine." He leaned back taking his hat off his head. "Fine alright here's some juicy bits about me." He said and sighed not really knowing where to start.

"At the beginning Ronin." Cole said

"Well my parents were horrible. Big news there. My mom died of a disease. My dad saw what it did to her and decided he didn't want to die ever. The man was a genius so he created an android that was designed to catch people and suck out their life force or soul. Life force so she can give it to my dad so he could live longer, and then soul to create incredibly loyal slaves to help in said endeavor." He took a drink from a flask on his hip.

"Let me guess...thats what happened to Kate?" Kai asked pointing to Echo who had her sleeping on his lap. He ran his fingers through her hair letting her knew he was there if she were to wake up at night. He too was nodding off. He was just barely conscious enough to hear Ronins tale.

"Very correct. But luckily things went off exactly when they needed to. Delphina only got half her soul...which if I'm to understand from Delphina it's a very painful process but when she does it they thank her for the pain because of the slavery." Ronin said shaking his head and looked at Kate with understanding. "Sadly Delphina wasn't without fault. She was...crooked and evil. She stole my father's soul and made him rewrite his will to include her and only her. It pissed me off." Ronin said closing the flask and putting it back on his belt.

"So that's why you were up there? Trying to get your dads stuff back?" Lloyd asked poring some more tea. Ronin shrugged his shoulders and then his shoulders sagged.

"It may seem out of character for me...but she can have it. The ship, the furniture, the abundance of jewels...I mean come on we were pirates so we did have a lot of that. But...there's one thing I want, and she knows I want it so she keeps in it in her quarters behind the desk."

"Probably something of great value then huh?" Jay asked leaning in to hear the story.

"Not really...not to anyone but me. It's a portrait of my mom. The only one in existence. It's not like she needs it or anything. So it's not like it would be missed." He ran his fingers over his face and cleared his throat. "Well that's it guys story times over."

"I do not like that woman." Zane spat crossing his arms and looked at his brother who re-positioned himself to curl around Kate and sleep.

"So if we kill her...will the soul go back to normal?" Zane asked Ronin shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head.

"I only seen her do it once, and it was for a mechanic whose wife was under her command. He pulled her soul out and had the mechanic fix her wound. I dealt it myself." He said proudly.

"Why hasn't she taken yours yet Ronin?" Nya asked suspiciously.

"No idea…" He shook his head and stood up. "Well if you all don't need me anymore I guess I'm gone."

"Actually Ronin...I think you'll be of excellent use to us." Lloyd said folding his arms looking down at the man. Ronin didn't to much like the look on Lloyds face. He recoiled away from the teen trapped in a adult body.

Echo watching Kate sleep, she had whispered a few things in her sleep. Mostly incoherent things that didn't mean much. But then there was that one thing that caused his heart to hurt a little. She had mumbled 'get away from me.' he pulled back and looked at her squarely. He wasn't able to stress about it to much because her eyes snapped open and she began to whimper and look around. Her eyes locked onto him and she reached out to him much like a child would. He crawled back over to her and she sat up putting her head on his chest just under his chin. She was shivering and still letting out low whimper noises every so often. Eventually he scooted down again and hugged her to him as he fell asleep.

Echo was woken up a few hours later by Zane who curled up on the other side of Echo The ninja planned on getting a few hours sleep before going after Delphina. They'd wait till dawn when they knew that the pirates were asleep after their hours of searching for them. Kai and Cole were taking first watch.

"Brother?" Echo asked feeling his brother pull both Kate and Echo toward him. His hand rested on Kate's forehead for a moment before looking at his brother waiting for his brothers inquiry. "Will she be okay?" The last part of the words was said with a bit of a squeak like he had been fighting back tears. Zane looked down at the sleeping woman and sighed not really sure how to answer this since he doesn't want to lie. Or doesn't know if he would be lying.

"Ronin says that if we were to deactivate Delphina her soul will reseed. But…" Zane said looking back up into his brothers golden eyes. "But we'll have to get back up on that ship in a few hours. So lets get some rest. " Zane said running his fingers through his brothers wiry hair.

Kate opened her eyes a few hours later to see both Echo and Zane sleeping soundly. She wasn't to sure about this. She was in the arms of both the man she loved and his brother. She slowly scooted away from Zane trying to respect his space. But unintentionally woke up Echo. Echo watched her scoot away from his brother and chuckled a little. Kate looked up at him and gave a smile. Echo put his forehead against hers. When Echo pulled back she gasped holding her chest and gritted her teeth. Echo touched his brother who jumped and looked at Kate.

"Ronin said it was very painful." Zane offered and then sat up looking around at Lloyd and Nya who were now sitting by the door. Nya had a blanket around her shoulders. It was a little cold outside now. But there was a bit of light coming over the trees now. Almost on Cue Lloyd turned around and called out to wake up. Zane walked over to the others and began to shake them awake except Jay who was sleeping curled up in Cole and Kais Gi jackets. Both said ninja lay with with their backs to one another. Their under Gi which just looked like turtle necks were all that was showing.

Echo looked down at kate and kissed her forehead. She blushed looking at him almost like that was the first kiss she ever had.

"Good morning." He whispered to her. She reached up and touched his lips and trailed her finger over them and softly smiled. She never had a chance to really study his facial features without fear of being spotted. He however watched her a lot while she was asleep so he knew hers by heart.

"Please…" She whispered touching her heart. He wasn't to sure what she meant, but he didn't get a chance to figure it out yet as Lloyd was gathering everyone together.

"Stay with me...and don't let go. Promise?" He asked. She looked concerned for a moment and shivered.

"Wh…" Her bottom lip quivered. She had something to say but she just couldn't think of what it was after a few moments. There was a huge mystery about Echo she wanted to solve, but she forgot what the question was again. Stupid brain.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Authors Notes: I loved this chapter so much, but it had me in tears. The next chapter will probably be the last. If you want a sequel please tell me in the reviews.**_

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 17**_

 _ **Being human**_

Lloyd looked down from his little perch in the tree. He looked down at the people sleeping on the grounds. All the stuff that they messed up that night was scattered and or being used as firewood. The captain's tent was occupied by Delphina who was sleeping soundly within. Their plan hopefully could go without a hitch. Well...sort of. Lloyd never really planned to kill someone before. Stop them yes, sometimes they did die. But they never planned on straight up killing someone before. He took a deep breath and looked back down at the landscape.

Across from Lloyd was Kai. He could just barely make out the green Gi of his leader. Lloyd kept looking around trying to see if everyone was where they were supposed to be. They were meant as back up with firepower while Cole, and Zane were on the ground.

Cole was better as hiding with his black Gi. His hand was held up watching a few watchmen walk by and then moved his hand back down. He and Zane ran forward to hide behind a huge wood pile. Most of it was still smoldering after last nights fire games they had to piss of the Captain. Unintentionally saving Kate from being made into a slave. Cole pulled on Zane and hid behind a tree and listened for the guards to go by again. There was an alarming amount of guards who should be asleep. But then again they were mindless slaves. They did everything Delphina said.

Echo smiled at Kate who was sitting near the mouth of the cave. She was getting a bucket of water. She walked back over to him heaving the bucket of water. She dipped the rag in again and applied it to his back. There was a loud hissing sound. She just started to giggle again. For some reason it caused her to giggle a lot to put water onto his radiator which was running a little hot since it was so hot outside in the jungle. At least the cave was a little cooler then it was outside which was blistering. The sun was shining down from the canopy. He honestly wished it would start raining again. It cooled off then. But then again it only rained for a few minutes only. Just enough to water the plants and probably some animals liked it too. A lot of giggling again, and this made Echo giggle too. He felt her lean on him and then pore the water all over them. A water fight started after that. One, that didn't get un-noticed by passing guards.

Echo looked up seeing a guard staring at the waterfall and backing away slowly. He turned and ran. Kate watched the pirate leave. She knows she should have been afraid, but she couldn't remember why. She looked up at Echo, why did he stop splashing around at her? He grabbed her arm and they began to run through the water and into the forest trying to get away from the scout who was more than likely going to tell their captain that they had found the ninja.

Kate tried to say something, but there wasn't anything that came out. Why couldn't she talk properly?!" She gasped when someone grabbed her hair and yanked on her. She fell backwards. Echo growled rounding on the pirate his foot connected with his jaw cracking it. He bent down picking up Kate and running on again. Kate looked over Echos shoulder seeing more of the pirates on their tail.

"Echo…" She was able to get out and pointed at the other pirates. Echos head turned all the way around and then back again. Kate looked rather surprised that he could do that. Slightly creepy, and a bit intriguing. She touched his neck almost to subconsciously tell herself that it wasn't broken.

"Robots faster than we thought!" One yelled to the trees. An arrow blew threw the trees and hit Echos let. It sparked and he went down hard. Kate gasped rolling a few feet away from the nindroid. She got up rubbing her elbow and looked at Echo who was holding his leg. She grabbed the arrow and pulled it out. Echo felt himself being pulled to his feet. She put his arm over her shoulder and started trying to run again. Yet she wasn't able to get very far at all pulling Echo. She was hit and she went down easy. Echo fell to his knees and covered Kate with his body trying to shield her from the kicks and hits that were being dealt. One precise hit to the head and Echo too fell silent.

"Madam will be very pleased we got her slave back." A pirate said throwing Echo over his shoulder and the other had Kate.

Cole and Zane slowly made their way through the camp. Zane slowly opened the curtain the the tent to see if anyone was in there. The cot was on the far side and the tent was empty otherwise. Delphina lay on the cot. Zane motioned for Cole to follow. Both ninja quietly made their way over to the other side. Zane pulled out a dagger and raised it above his head and shoved it downwards on the waiting Captain.

No sound...none. Not a scream or a gasp. Zane pulled back the covers and realized that Their was only a bag full of clothing on it. They had been tricked. Zane turned to Cole and pointed toward the opening. Cole and Zane gasped in surprise as the tent was lifted off the ground and into the trees. They were surrounded by pirates. Off to the left was Lloyd, and Kai who had been tied up and gagged, Kate and Echo were over pirates shoulder on the other side. Zane and Coles shoulders sagged. They had been outsmarted by the pirates.

"Oh...poor things." Delphina said smiling at Cole and Zane. "Tie them up boys...I do hope you'll enjoy the show." She said motioning to her slaves to tie them to planks they had put into the ground specially for this sort of thing.

"Now I guess its the black ninja that stabbed me in the tent right? Or was it that robot?" The Captain asked and smiled at the ninja. Zane glared at her.

"Ah yes you have an issue with me trying to hurt your so called siblings sweetheart right?" Delphina swatted Echos helm. He jumped and his optics flickered on. He looked around and saw his brother and the other ninjas there.

"So what to do then hum? I don't think taking his soul is possible. Robots tend to be attached to theirs far more then humans are." She knelled down looking into Zanes optics. The stare was far to long in Zanes opinion. She turned her look to Cole and smiled at him.

"Your partner then hum?" She walked over to Cole and looked him in the eyes. "He helped right?"

"Do not harm him!" Zane yelled knowing what was coming. The other ninja began to squirm trying to get out of their bindings.

Cole growled once she was eye level. He always seemed fearless, defiance on his features. Yet his eyes betrayed him. They were full of fear. Just what did she intend to do with him? She grabbed his face and put her mouth over his. At first he thought it was just a really sloppy kiss. But then he couldn't move, nothing felt right. The sound that filled his eyes was like static. He couldn't breath, nothing was working right. Then darkness. When Delphina pulled back away from Cole his eyes were blank, and his whole body was slumped.

"Untie him." Delphina told one of her slaves. Once loose Cole stood up as his mistress said. "I want to see you bleed." She told him. Cole grabbed a knife from his belt and shoved it into his leg. The impact was deep, and hard not to hear the sickening thud as it the hilt hit his leg.

Not even a grunt. Not even a gasp. Cole was of all purposes a mindless slave to his Captain.

Delphina smiled down at Kate and ran her fingers through the womans hair.

"You must be in a lot of pain sugar." She said Kate whimpered trying to scoot away from the woman who caused her pain last night.

"Don't touch her!" Echo yelled trying to get to his girlfriend.

"Or what?" Delphina smiled at Echo. She leaned forward as she did moments ago and finished the job she had been stopped doing last night.

The scream that left Echos mouth was that of pure horror, and defeat. He hung his head and cried loudly.

"Oh don't be so disappointed robot. She's still alive isn't she? I could have sucked her life force out and killed her." Delphina said snapping her fingers. Cole walked over and untied Kate.

"I think its about time we put this poor robot out of his misery. Isn't it?" She looked at Zane. Zane pulled on his restraints. His arms and hands were sparking from the effort.

"Echo!" He called out as Echo was pulled to his feet being held up by Cole.

"Kate...take this knife...and kill your boyfriend. Love has no place on my ship." Kate turned and looked over Echo for a moment and took the knife from Delphina. She turned and walked toward Echo.

"Kate…" Echo looked on in horror as the woman he loved. The woman who loved him with or without the rust walked over and raised the knife and brought it down.

It sailed through the air and lodged itself into Delphina's chest plate. The Captain gasped and looked down at the oil stain through her shirt. She looked back up at Kate who stood there. Her eyes looked so blank, unreadable. How could she have done this?

"Human nature never stops amazing me." Zanes words shocked Delphina.

"Echo?" The word was spoken very weak and as if spoken by someone waking up from a deep sleep.

"I'm here…" He said stepping forward away from Cole who was also waking up. "I'm always here." He said scooping her up in his arms and she felt so cold to the touch.

"Where am I?" She asked almost as if she didn't remember what happened earlier.

"Your with me." He whispered

A latter along with Ronin fell down onto the ground from high up above the canapy.

"Come on guys we're running out of time. Some of those guys are real killers. You might wanna get out of there!" Ronins voice cut through their reality. He landed just short of Lloyd who had hold of Cole who was unable to walk properly while he was sane.

Echo with the help of Zane picked Kate up and brought her over to the ladder.

"You think you've defeated me…" Kate turned just in time to see Delphina jump forward lodging a dagger into Echos back. A loud bang echoed throughout the forest. Kai looked around seeing Ronin with a gun in his hand.

"Been wanting to kill that bitch for some time now." He said seeing the steaming body laying in a mess on the ground. "No chance of you getting up now Delphi huh? You okay huh? No your dead!" He ran over and kicked her.

"Echo!" The word was in a panic. Kate tried to keep Echo standing. The nindroids back was popping dangerously. Zane was pulling his brother toward the ladder.

"We need to get him to Borg Industries now!"


	18. Chapter 18

**_Authors Notes: Welps this is it. Last chapter. I've had fun making this. I'll be writing a second one soon. Probably throw it out there after the season 8 episode 2 tonight. Lots of love and thanks for reading._**

* * *

 _ **Bronze Colored Heart**_

 _ **Chapter 18**_

Sister

Echo was pulled onto Delphina's ship Jay and Nya stood off to one side the Bounty was floating not to far away. They were all covered in grease and other fluids from the Bounty. Apparently that's why they were absent from battle they were creating an escape vehicle. Or rather fixing the previous one.

"What happened?!" Nya asked seeing Coles leg, and the blade sticking out of Echos back.

"We were outsmarted." Lloyd said pulling the ship around to the Bounty knowing that the ship was faster than the one they were currently on.

"Alright Ronin...ships yours." Nya said walking down from the wheelhouse.

"What?" Ronin looked amazed at this, as if it weren't what would have happened otherwise.

"It's yours isn't it? It belonged to your dad?" Nya said. Ronin slowly nodded and watched the ninja as they walked off the ship onto the Bounty helping Echo, Cole, and Jay on board.

"Well okay then…" Ronin said patting the ship. "Well Nightmare it's just you and me again." He sighed and looked around at the wheelhouse. He walked around to the back of this ship and into the Captains quarters. Their behind the desk was his mother's picture. He walked over to it and sighed. "Dumb aren't they? When are they going to realize that I lie through my teeth?" He swung the picture out and looked at the safe. He used his lock picking talent and got into the safe. Within was a small box. He opened the box and a soft melody began to play. A small picture of two children and two adults. The girl within was a man he knew really well as an owner to the shipping company, a woman with bright red hair and green eyes. The little boy sat with an infant in his arms tiny tuft of red hair on her head. He sighed running his fingers over the picture.

"Take care of her Echo. I'm sorry I couldn't save her like you. I'm just a horrible person. I don't want her anywhere near me. Its best she doesn't know."

* * *

Kate ran her fingers over Echos hair feeling the wiry bristles of it. She wasn't to sure what to do now. She knew basics about robotics, but broken radiator, and all those wires sticking out. Zane had to constantly cool him down with his elemental power. The bed he was in was the one she herself had woke up in before. Someone they had called Master Wu. She never met him. Perhaps later. Her concern was the nindroid in her arms at that moment.

"Kate." His eyes locked onto hers. He panted trying to cool his body down again.

"I'm here." She whispered putting her face a few inches from his.

"How?" His voice cracked. A small line of tears fell down toward his audio.

"How what do you mean?" Kate asked trying to keep him talking.

"How did you break out of her slavery when Cole couldn't?" Zane offered. Kate saw Echo nod his head slowly.

"I saw you. That's all I saw. I couldn't look away. If there was one thing I wanted to hold onto was my love for you. My mind didn't want to let go of that." She said taking the cloth from his forehead and wet it down again. "I was afraid that if I let go of that love for you then I'd lose everything that meant something to me. I'd rather die." Kate said putting the cloth back on his head. Echo reached over taking Kates hand in his and smiled tirely.

"I thought I had lost you. My heart hurt thinking of waking up without you. Each day would be a broken sky." Echo said his optics flickered. Kate gasped climbing up onto the bed and looked him in the optics.

"Stay." She said leaning down letting her lip trail his. She lingered there longer then she meant to. More for her own soul to remember what this was, this feeling it had forgotten. The reason why she loved him. Because of this feeling she had just being next to him. A feeling of longing for a soul that was supposed to be with her own. A sense of completeness. The one she got from him. Even if said soul was created in an unconventional way.

"I never knew…" She whispered to him. His golden optics locked onto her green eyes. "That my soul was incomplete till it felt yours next to mine. There's a longing there, that I had never knew existed." She lightly kissed his lips before pulling back at Kais yell from the wheelhouse.

"Get Echo ready we're about to land on Borg Industries roof. Borg has everything ready for an emergency transfer!"

"You here that Echo? You'll be just fine." Kate said and stood up giving Zane space enough to pick his brother up out of the bed. She followed close behind them. Once on the deck she could see the building. She often wondered just how that holographic sign could stay in place, and what would happen if they flew through it. But their was no time for thoughts as this. She followed closely behind Zane as he walked along the plank down to the roof. Borg watched as she followed behind Zane. He looked around at Lloyd.

"Their are doctors here too for Cole and Jay."

"Oh I'm fine." Jay said waving his hand at Borg.

"Oh? And that huge dot of red on your stomach isn't a dot?" Nya said poking his stomach. He grunted at the touch and doubled over.

"Ow…" He grumbled and felt himself being lowered onto a wheelchair. "I can walk!" He yelled

Cole sighed shaking his head and looked up at the nurse wheeling him into the elevator too.

"He's such a baby." He told her. She giggled.

Echo was pulled into a white room by people wearing masks and blue suits. Borg patted her hand as he wheeled by.

"He'll be alright." He told her softly.

They had been in the room for hours. When Borg opened the door again and looked into the hallway the ninja were sitting on the floor. Lloyd was snoring softly on his moms shoulder who had showed up earlier after finding out one of the musuem employees had survived the ship wreck was at Borg industries. She had arrived to ask a few questions about the wreck for insurance purposes only to find out that she was dating Zanes brother. She decided not to ask many questions.

Cole sat against the wall his leg was missing a pant leg, but it his leg was bandaged. A set of crutch laying on the ground next to him. In his hands was a magazine procured from the waiting area in the doctors office.

Nya had Jays head on her lap, her fingers combed through his hair without thought. Her head leaned back against the wall and her eyes closed. She looked as if she too were about to nod off.

Kai sat next to Nya his head on her shoulder, but his phone in his hands. Of course informing their fans that they would indeed be back after their 'scary ordeal' was over.

Kate sat with her legs drawn up to her chest. Her arms wrapped around them. She blankly stared ahead. Zane let her lean against him knowing just how she felt. He had his brother, and didn't want to lose him again. Echo was his only family. He sighed and looked down knowingly at his own lap mentally reminding himself that wasn't true anymore. Not with Kate here. He had a sister, and if the inevitable happened and Echo left them, he would care for her for his brother.

"Kate…" Borgs voice pulled her out of her stuper. She looked up at him and then jumped to her feet. To Borg she seemed incredibly tired looking, almost to tired to stand.

"Mr Borg...how is he?" Kate asked hopeful.

"The transfer was successful."

"Transfer?" Zane asked slightly confused.

"Well while he was here earlier he was scanned. Well we decided like you did to upgrade him. His original body was to far gone after this battle. His leg was broken, his internal units was ruined after she used her sonic scream on him, and then the beatings, and the wound in his back. I'm amazed he was still functioning. I blame someone with red hair for that."

"Excuse me?" Kate said glaring at Borg.

"Oh don't be angry its good that you kept him going or he'd be gone. Love...holds no bounds." Borg said causing the young woman to blush.

"Can we?" Zane motioned to the room.

"Oh of course." Borg led them into the room the ninja following. Once in the room Kate could see a bronze colored nindroid standing on a stool. He looked up and smiled at them.

"Don't move." An Engineer said to him apparently having told him a few times now. He had never had a body like this before. He wasn't used to feeling so spacious in his own mind.

"Kate look!" He said seeing Kate. Kates smile was so large it could have split an atom in two. "I'm new." He let out a giggle. Kates heart fluttered at the sound.

Zane watched Kates hand touch her chest as if trying to keep her heart in place. He often wondered what it felt like.

"I see…" She said slowly walking forward. Echo ignoring the engineer he walked off the light pad and picked Kate up in his arms. Forehead to forehead giggling he spun her in place. He looked a lot like Zane still but he was brand new even his hair laid down a bit rather then stuck up like Zanes. Probably a personal choice to give him a bit of individuality. His power source was the same as it was before. But it looked like it had some new parts to it.

Echo set Kate back on the floor and looked at her with his brand new eyes. Her smile looked so beautiful to him, he wasn't sure how it was possible, perhaps it was the new body, but he felt like he was falling in love with her all over again. His lips touched hers again for the first time. Kate leaned into it. Everyone in the room just began to cheer.

* * *

Kate ended up having to go back to her apartment to at least attempt to grab up some things to survive on. Her clothing, higien products, and even some medications she forgot she needed at the time. Plus her work she needed to give to Misako. But when she came out of her bathroom she heard a soft song playing from the window. She walked over to the busted out window. She opened the curtains to see a music box sitting on the edge. A red note sitting on top. She picked it up.

 _`I think this belongs to you. ~Ronin'_

Kate turned it over in her hand not really sure what to think of this. She was told by Zane not to go near Ronin so what was he doing sending her stuff. She looked around the room and wondered if he was watching. She opened the music box and looked inside to see the picture. She looked at and her hand flew to her mouth.

"Ronin…" She whispered.


End file.
